Safety Jessie Bates, formerly of the Cincinnati Bengals, agreed to sign a four-year contract worth $16 million annually with the Falcons on Monday, according to his agent.
Bates was one of the top defensive players on the market and would instantly upgrade the Falcons’ defense. He will be reunited with Falcons defensive backs coach Steve Jackson, who was with the Bengals in 2020-21.
Bates, who played at Wake Forest, beat out George Iloka as a rookie and went on to start 79 regular-season games.
