Falcons safety Jessie Bates makes the roster

The Atlanta Falcons paid big money to acquire Jessie Bates III in free agency last year, and the play-making safety responded with the best season of his NFL career. Bates threw six interceptions and was arguably Atlanta’s best defensive player most weeks.

After another solid season, the 27-year-old is starting to get more recognition around the league. On Tuesday, Bates became the third Falcons player to be named to the NFL’s Top 100 Players of 2024 countdown. Bates was ranked No. 74 by his NFL peers:

Sometimes the grass is greener on the other side, especially in Atlanta for Bates. In his first season with the Falcons, Bates earned his first Pro Bowl selection in just his sixth NFL season. The safety had a career year, setting new records with six interceptions, three forced fumbles and 132 tackles. —Christian Gonzales, NFL.com

Bates joins quarterback Kirk Cousins (No. 81) and guard Chris Lindstrom (No. 88) in the NFL’s Top 100, but it’s hard to imagine any other Falcons player making the cut. The countdown is currently airing on NFL+, but will rerun on NFL Network beginning July 31.