With Atlanta’s 2026 opener now less than a week away, the Falcons are still carrying plenty of questions at quarterback. Even so, the rest of the roster looks strong, and the back end of the defense stands out as one of the league’s better safety groups.
Xavier Watts is set to open his second NFL season as one half of that pairing. The former standout has drawn some buzz as a possible All-Pro candidate this year. Across from him is Jessie Bates III, the veteran presence who has been performing at a high level for nine seasons and already owns a Pro Bowl nod.
That reputation is showing up again. Bates was included in CBS Sports’ survivor squad, the exercise that selects one player or coach from each team. Jared Dubin slotted him as the starting box safety alongside Tampa Bay’s Antoine Winfield Jr. at deep safety.
“Using Bates as the box safety might seem odd, but he actually played there more often than he played deep last year, according to Pro Football Focus. He's been one of the best safeties in the league for years now, and it's about time that we found a way to get him onto this roster.”
Bates is also entering the final season of his Falcons contract, with a cap hit just under $25 million. If Matt Ryan wants to make one more move before the season starts to create more room, an extension for Bates could be the answer; according to Over the Cap, it could free up about $10 million.
In Other News...
Falcons Depth Chart Sends An Early Message About Key Roles
The Falcons first official Week 1 depth chart offered an early snapshot of how the staff is sorting out jobs as the season opens, and it already comes with a few notable labels attached. Tua Tagovailoa is listed as the starting quarterback, while rookies Kendal Daniels and Avieon Terrell have both landed in starting roles at linebacker and in the secondary, giving the chart an immediate dose of youth in key spots.
It also hints at a rotation that may be broader than the order suggests. Zachariah Branch is placed lower on the depth chart, but his role still looks likely to extend beyond that spot, which is a reminder that the first version of these charts often reflects structure more than final usage. For Atlanta, the real takeaway is less about who is penciled in where and more about how quickly those early decisions will hold once the games start. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Face A Far Different Steelers Test Than Fans Might Expect
The Falcons 2026 opener in Pittsburgh comes with a very different feel than the one Atlanta fans have been used to seeing from the Steelers in recent years. A team that long carried the image of Mike Tomlins hard-edged consistency now enters the season with Mike McCarthy in charge, and the matchup also carries an odd layer of familiarity for Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski, who knows the Steelers well enough to understand how much changing the sideline can alter the tone of a game.
What makes the trip to Pittsburgh particularly interesting is the sense that this offense is being built to look less like the old Steelers blueprint and more like something McCarthy has shaped before. The ground game still has Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle in the mix, but the bigger question is how quickly the pieces fit together around a more dynamic approach, especially with a quarterback who has spent plenty of time in McCarthys world before. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Quarterback Plan Already Feels More Fragile Than Expected
The quarterback picture in Atlanta already looks more unsettled than the label on the depth chart suggests. The Falcons named Tua Tagovailoa as their starter for the 2026 season opener, but his hold on the job comes with obvious caveats after a mixed preseason and a roster that still carries four quarterbacks, a sign the team is leaving itself room to adjust rather than locking anything in.
Michael Penix Jr. remains the looming factor, with the expectation that he will take over once healthy and ready to go. That leaves Tagovailoa in a familiar sort of pressure point: he has the opening nod, but not much margin for error, and every snap he takes early on may be judged against the possibility that the Falcons are simply buying time until Penix is available. [Read more 🡒]