Jessie Bates III, Xavier Watts considered "best safety duo in the NFL" by teammates, but let's take a look where the groups stand entering training camp.
Tori McElhaney
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. With training camp set to begin next month for the Atlanta Falcons, we're kicking off our preview series that will take a closer look at where each position group stands after the 2026 offseason.
This series will run on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between the last week of June and July 22, which is one week before the Falcons' first training camp practiceis set to take place on July 29. These previews will include any offseason personnel changes, notable stats from the 2025 season and key questions entering training camp.
Up next, the Falcons' safeties.
Previous installments:Special Teams|Offensive line|Defensive line|Outside linebackers|Tight ends| Running backs | Cornerbacks | Wide receivers
SAFETIES
Coaches:
- Patrick Toney Defensive passing game coordinator
- Justin Hood Secondary coach
Returning contributors:
- Jessie Bates III
- Xavier Watts
- DeMarcco Hellams
Notable newcomers:
Rest of the roster:
Offseason departures:
3 key questions for the Falcons safeties
1. Can Jessie Bates III, Xavier Watts cement themselves as league-best safety duo?
When asked earlier this spring about the Falcons secondary and the talent of starters Jessie Bates III and Xavier Watts,Divine Deablo didn't hesitate to stake his claim, saying the tandem is the "best safety duo in the NFL."
Later,defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrichcalled the duo "the best he'd been around."
They had the accolades in 2025 to back up those two comments seeing as Bates was named a second-team All-Pro this past season, while Watts was a finalist for the league's Defensive Rookie of the Year award. What's more, they were the only safety duo in the NFL to each total at least 95 tackles and three interceptions.
It's because of those accolades and accomplishments that national media is taking note of Bates and Watts, too. Just this month,Sports Illustrated ranked the Atlanta duo the No. 1 safety duo in the leaguegoing into the 2026 season. They outranked Baltimore's Kyle Hamilton and Malaki Starks (No. 2) and Green Bay's Xavier McKinney and Evan Williams (No. 3).
With the season just a couple months away, can Bates and Watts continue to build on their stellar 2025 season together, cementing themselves as the league's best?
2. What's next for Watts?
As previously stated, Watts was electric for the Falcons throughout the entirety of his rookie season. A finalist for Defensive Rookie of the Year, Watts put up stats no rookie in the league did in 2025, heck, some stats hardly any single player matched, too.
His final stat line consisted of five interceptions, 96 tackles and 11 passes defended. He became the first Falcons rookie to notch at least four interceptions since Deion Sanders did so in 1989.
In 2025, Watts showed the league at large what he's capable of. Can he follow up his rookie season with another top performance in Year 2? And if last year was his first taste of professional life, what else is out there for him in the years to come?
3. What roles do DeMarcco Hellams, Sydney Brown carve out for themselves?
The starters in Atlanta are set. That much is certain. But in this league, you're only as good as your depth. Hellams and Brown are that depth.
Hellams got quite a bit of runway this spring working alongside Bates, as Watts was held out for a minor injury during OTAs. Brown played a little bit of a hybrid role, dropping down from time to time. Along with their role in depth defensively, Hellams and Brown are assets for the Falcons on special teams, as both have totaled significant reps there throughout their careers.
Still, how do these two continue to factor into roster decisions and roles once the season inches ever closer?
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