The 49ers have a couple of moving parts right now, but the one move that would make the most sense before Week 1 has nothing to do with Mac Jones. If John Lynch is looking for one last swing, the smarter play is on defense - and Jessie Bates III of the Atlanta Falcons is the name that fits.
San Francisco is still sorting through the uncertainty around Nick Bosa, who is working back from a second ACL reconstruction on the same knee. Kyle Shanahan has said Bosa’s recent absence is tied to tendinitis and soreness, not a new structural injury, but orthopedic specialists have warned that revision ACL surgery can make the recovery process less predictable. That alone is reason for the 49ers to be careful.
Jones, meanwhile, has become a different kind of talking point after Kurtis Rourke’s strong preseason debut sparked speculation about whether San Francisco could eventually move its veteran backup. The 49ers were already open to trading Jones during the offseason, and Rourke’s rise has only added to the conversation, though the current chatter is being framed more as analysis than a sign that a deal is imminent.
If the 49ers do make a final pre-Week 1 move, though, the answer should be on the back end of the defense. Bates is the kind of target that makes sense for where this roster is right now. ESPN floated a framework that would send Bates and a 2028 sixth-round pick to San Francisco for a 2027 third-rounder, though Atlanta has not been reported to be actively shopping him.
The fit is obvious. Bates spent multiple seasons in Atlanta under Raheem Morris, who is now San Francisco’s defensive coordinator.
That kind of familiarity matters, especially at safety, where the job demands communication, route recognition, and quick command of the defense. A talented newcomer can still lose valuable time just learning how everything works.
Bates would not be starting from zero.
And the 49ers need help in that area. ESPN noted that San Francisco finished 25th in expected points added (EPA) allowed per dropback last season. Ji'Ayir Brown and Malik Mustapha are still part of the picture, but Bates would give Morris a proven veteran in the middle of the secondary and more flexibility around the younger defensive backs.
This is not just a name-brand suggestion, either. Bates earned second-team All-Pro honors in 2023 after posting six interceptions and three forced fumbles.
His production has not always lived up to that peak, but coaches and executives still ranked him fifth among NFL safeties heading into 2026 in an offseason survey. For a team trying to get back to the Super Bowl, that kind of player is worth the cost of a one-year push.
The contract angle helps too. Bates is in the final year of his deal, and ESPN estimated that taking on his contract would cost San Francisco about $13 million for 2026.
That is a workable number for a player of his caliber, and because he is nearing free agency, the price should not climb to the level attached to a younger safety with long-term control. A third-round pick, with a sixth-rounder going back to Atlanta, lands in a reasonable middle ground.
The obstacle is Atlanta. Bates is not being publicly shopped, and the Falcons may decide he is too important to move until they know more about their own season. ESPN’s proposal is built on the idea that Atlanta could choose to get value for a player nearing free agency while opening the door for younger safety Xavier Watts rather than risking losing Bates without getting anything in return.
Still, San Francisco has a different kind of urgency. Bosa’s recovery is a reminder that even elite defenders can bring uncertainty when they’re coming back from major surgery.
The answer does not have to be another edge rusher. Strengthening the secondary can buy the pass rush more time, cut down explosive completions, and give Morris a veteran who already knows how he wants the defense to operate.
A bigger name does not automatically mean a better fit, especially this close to the season. Bates would step into the locker room with a head start on the system, and he would not be asked to single-handedly fix everything. That makes him the cleaner move.
Trading a third-round pick for an expiring contract is aggressive, but contenders have to know when a future asset is worth spending. If Atlanta is willing to talk near the ESPN framework, Lynch should not wait for Week 1 to expose a weakness that could already be addressed.
Jones may still be the 49er who gets moved if Tanner Rourke keeps developing, but the trade San Francisco should chase before the season starts is the one that brings Jessie Bates III to town.
In Other News...
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Kirks case has become especially tricky because the injury interruptions have stacked up alongside a dip in production, which puts him in the middle of a real cut conversation rather than a routine depth chart debate. Colby, meanwhile, is fighting a different kind of battle, one centered on the starting guard job and the sort of interior competition Kyle Shanahan and Chris Foerster tend to use as a true test of who can hold up when the pads come on. [Read more 🡒]