The Falcons are turning to DeMarcco Hellams, and the belief inside the locker room is that he can handle the job.
With Jessie Bates III shipped to the Jacksonville Jaguars ahead of the NFL trade deadline, Atlanta picked up a 2027 second-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round selection. Losing a three-time All-Pro in the secondary is no small thing, but it also opens the door for Hellams to take on a much bigger role.
Hellams knows exactly what this moment means.
“We understand the business of the game, the nature of the game. That leaves guys in position to step up, which is me,” Hellams said.
“I feel like I came into the league to take every day to prepare like a starter. And when my moment comes, to be ready for it.”
Through nine games this season, Hellams has mostly worked on special teams, but he’s still put together a useful body of work: 14 total tackles, with five solo stops and nine assists, plus one pass deflection and one tackle for loss.
Now in his fourth year, he’s spent most of his Atlanta run behind more established names in the secondary. That changes now, and teammates think he’s ready to answer the call.
Rookie safety Xavier Watts was direct about what he expects from Hellams.
“I think ’Marco (Hellams) is going to come in and do a great job. Jammie Robinson, a couple other guys who might kind of bounce around in that position. But, next-man-up mentality,” Watts said.
Robinson, Sydney Brown, and Billy Bowman Jr. give the Falcons more options and depth in the back end, but Hellams is the one being asked to step into the vacancy left by Bates.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski echoed that confidence.
“DeMarcco is the next man up that we feel really good about,” Stefanski said. “He has played good football for us.”
Of course, filling Bates’ shoes is a tall order. The Falcons aren’t asking Hellams to become Bates overnight, only to play with confidence, communicate well, and help steady the defense.
That assignment gets real fast. Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and the Kansas City Chiefs are next, and their ability to extend plays will put stress on the perimeter of the defense.
Hellams has been waiting for this chance for years. Now it’s here, and he gets a shot to show that the confidence around him is well placed.
In Other News...
Falcons Left Divine Deablo Behind In One Telling Deadline Decision
The Falcons were active sellers before the trade deadline, moving several players on expiring contracts and adding draft picks in return for Jessie Bates III and Ryan Neuzil. It was the kind of move that signaled Atlanta was willing to keep reshaping the roster rather than simply letting the season play out, especially with younger options already starting to push their way into the picture.
Divine Deablo, though, stayed put, and that decision said plenty of its own. League interest never really materialized, with his injury history and recent dip in play working against him, while Kendal Daniels and Harold Perkins Jr. have made the linebacker spot feel a little less essential. For the Falcons, it leaves Deablo in a tricky spot, still on the roster but no longer looking like a piece the team is counting on long term. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Need To Stop Delaying The Michael Penix Jr. Decision
Michael Penix Jr. has already become the center of the Falcons long-term quarterback conversation, and the latest chatter only adds another layer to a decision Atlanta cannot keep putting off. After his recent stretch as the starter, the focus is less on whether the Falcons need a plan and more on whether they are finally ready to commit to one, especially with the franchise still weighing what the position should look like beyond the present.
ESPN analyst Ben Solak floated the idea of Atlanta looking at Seattle quarterback Drew Lock in 2027 as a bridge option, but that kind of thinking only underscores the bigger issue. The Falcons do not need another temporary fix if Penix is the answer, and if he is not, then the organization has to be honest about turning to its 2027 first-round pick instead of stretching the uncertainty out even further. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Just Said Goodbye To One Of Their Most Respected Leaders
Jessie Bates IIIs departure marks the end of one of the more steadying presences the Falcons had in recent seasons. After 3.5 seasons in Atlanta, where he served as a team captain, Bates was traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for 2027 and 2028 draft picks, a move that underscores how much the organization is leaning into a youth movement.
The Falcons have already shown that shift in other ways, including trading Ryan Neuzil and locking in younger players on new contracts. Bates exit leaves a notable leadership void on a defense that valued his experience and voice, and it also adds another layer to a roster reset that is clearly still unfolding. [Read more 🡒]