The Falcons traded veteran safety Jessie Bates to the Jaguars today, which some might see as a sign that the Falcons don’t view themselves as contenders and are looking ahead to 2027. Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski says that’s not the case.
Stefanski acknowledged that the Falcons are building for the future, but he also noted that in the NFC South, Atlanta remains very much in contention at 3-6.
“You know how I feel about Jessie the person, Jessie the player,” Stefanski told reporters. “But at the same time, it’s football, where sometimes you have one short-term foot, one long-term foot. There are things like this that make your team better in the long term. Draft picks are the lifeblood of an organization. It’s something we believe in.
Stefanski said he wants fans to know they are still going to compete to win the NFC South.
“Our fans are smart enough to know we’re not going to play under any circumstances this season. We have three wins, just like the rest of our division. Obviously not where we want to be, we want to play better, but we’re in the thick of it and we trust the guys we have,” Stefanski said.
The Falcons may not play this season, but they decide to move on from a player who can help them this season and get draft picks for future seasons. The Falcons might still win the worst division in football, but today’s trade is not from a team that figures to be a Super Bowl contender this year.
Gn sports
