Atlanta Falcons Roster Moves Leave Rookie in Prime Position to Start

The Atlanta Falcons traded a 2026 1st round pick to move back into the first round of the 2025 NFL draft and select edge rusher James Pearce Jr. What’s often overlooked, however, is that Atlanta also received a third-round pick in the deal, a pick that turned into safety Xavier Watts.

Watts developed a reputation as a ball-hawk in college, recording 13 interceptions in his final two seasons at Notre Dame. He led the nation in picks in 2023 with seven, and followed it up with six more in 2024, the second-highest mark in college football last season. 

Now with the Falcons' release of safety Jordan Fuller on Tuesday, Watts looks set to take the field with star safety Jessie Bates as a rookie starter. Bates has 24 interceptions since he entered the league in 2018, the 5th most in the NFL in that span. Although on the same team, the duo will be competing with one another to get their hands on the ball.

During joint practices against the Tennessee Titans a few weeks ago, Bates made a toe-tapping interception on a Cam Ward pass that was tipped into the air by cornerback A.J. Terrell. However, rookie Watts probably had a better line to the ball than Bates did.

“Yeah, I think I had a little vet moment there,” Bates said when asked about the play afterwards. “Thank God me and X [Xavier Watts] didn’t collide.”

The Falcons certainly could have a lot worse problems than two safeties who both want nothing more than to force turnovers.

“I mean, obviously, you know, just keep on working and see what happens with my situation, but obviously, if I get the chance to be alongside with Jessie [Bates], playing this year, you know, I’d love to compete with him for interceptions,” Watts said.

With only three safeties on the roster, Bates, Watts, and hard-hitting DeMarcco Hellams, Watts is in position to start sooner rather than later. The Falcons as a team have recorded 20 interceptions in the last two seasons combined, tied for 26th in the NFL in that span.

Jessie Bates has forced 10 of them. The Falcons invested heavily in the offseason in their defense including pressure players up front and ball-hawking defenders in the back.

Bates and Watts should be the main beneficiaries of the improved pass rush, and they’ll have a friendly competition for interceptions in 2025.