The San Francisco 49ers are widely expected to make another move before the trade deadline, and one name that has surfaced as a possible fit is Atlanta Falcons safety Jessie Bates, according to Bill Barnwell of ESPN.
Barnwell framed Bates as the kind of high-impact addition that could change a playoff game with one big moment, while also pointing out that he already knows Raheem Morris’ system.
“Finding one player who might be able to swing a playoff game with a big play could be a logical target for Lynch,” wrote Barnwell. “Jessie Bates III is a free agent after the season, and the 29-year-old safety has at least three interceptions in seven of his eight completed campaigns as a pro.
He just made one of the plays of the season last week against the Buccaneers, forcing a Bucky Irving fumble on an impromptu speed option for a touchback. Bates is also familiar with Raheem Morris' defense, having played under the 49ers' defensive coordinator in Atlanta during the 2024 and 2025 seasons.”
Bates earned second-team All-Pro honors last season with the Falcons under Morris.
Even so, there are real hurdles here. San Francisco already has Malik Mustapha, Marques Sigle, and Ji’Ayir Brown on the roster, but none of them is at Bates’ level. Brown is expected to hit free agency after the season, and the 49ers do not have extension plans for Mustapha or Sigle either.
That opens the door to a different kind of deal. San Francisco could send one of those younger safeties to Atlanta as part of the package. If the 49ers moved Mustapha or Sigle, they would be getting a player with more than this season of team control - a younger, cheaper option under contract longer than Bates.
The Falcons’ situation makes a trade tricky too. Atlanta sits at 3-5, but it is still very much alive in a weak NFC South. The Panthers are 3-4, the Buccaneers are 3-5, and the Saints are 2-5, so the Falcons are not in a position where they have to give up on the season.
Adding a safety back in the deal would help, but unless Atlanta drops again in Week 9 and the standings break against them, they may not be ready to sell. Bates looks like a dream target for the 49ers, but probably not a realistic one.
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