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Atlanta Falcons defensive back Jessie Bates reacting during OTAs.
The New York Jets have the assets to make another splash ahead of training camp.
Just because they can make a move doesn’t necessarily mean that they should. Analyst Charlie Baduini of The Jet Press said the team should explore a potential trade for Atlanta Falcons defensive back Jessie Bates.
“If the Jets really want to make sure their defense has no holes heading into 2026, it would benefit them to add another safety, especially if [Minkah] Fitzpatrick intends to play some nickel cornerback as he mentioned earlier in the offseason,” Baduini wrote.
“With Fitzpatrick working closer to the line of scrimmage in certain situations, New York could really use a player of Jessie Bates’ caliber. The current Atlanta Falcons star is entering the last year of his contract, and the Jets have the cap space to absorb his contract,” Baduini continued. “It would be an aggressive move for a Jets team that isn’t necessarily competing for a championship this season, but is certainly trying its best to win, entering a year where head coach Aaron Glenn has to at least be competitive.”
“Bates would certainly help in that department and would bring a certain level of playmaking that the Jets don’t currently have, even with Fitzpatrick manning the back end,” he explained.
It Would Be a Poor Allocation of Resources
Bates is a talented playmaker. He is a three-time All-Pro and a former Pro Bowler. In his longstanding NFL career, Bates has intercepted 27 passes, forced 11 fumbles, and made 12 tackles for loss.
That is all really good. The Jets would be a better team with Bates than without him. However, you can’t plug every hole with a veteran. The Jets have done that plenty this offseason with players like Fitzpatrick, Demario Davis, David Onyemata, and Geno Smith.
However, a good team balances proven veterans with big money contracts with young and up-and-coming players.
If the Jets were legitimately competing for a championship in 2026, then maybe you could argue why the Jets should splurge on this luxury addition. However, the brutal reality is that the Jets are coming off a 3-14 campaign.
Jets Should Rely on Youth
“Do the Jets really want to bank on one of Malachi Moore, Andre Cisco, or Dane Belton as one of their starting safeties? The answer is probably no,” Baduini wrote for the Jet Press.
That assumption is incorrect.
Head coach Aaron Glenn was a major voice in the Jets’ trading up in the fourth round last year to get Moore. Glenn has mentioned Detroit Lions standout Brian Branch when talking about Moore in the past. He started 14 games this past season.
Cisco started the first eight games of the season and appeared in 98% of the defensive snaps last year. He re-signed with the team this offseason.
Belton is more of a mystery player. He is a career role player, spot starter, and special teamer. Do the Jets feel good about him as a full-time starter? That is uncertain.
However, three of your four safeties are more than capable of stepping in. The Jets are expecting a jump out of Moore and Cisco is coming off a tough year but he is ultra motivated to bounce back in a big way.
Paul Esden Jr. covers the New York Jets for Heavy.com. A New York native, he co-hosts a morning show, “The Manchild Show with Boy Green Digital.” Before joining Heavy in 2021, Esden Jr. covered both national and New York sports for FanSided, Elite Sports NY, and The Score 1260. More about Paul Esden Jr.