Jaguars land Jessie Bates as Steelers' AFC rivals load up before the deadline
Jacksonville sent two draft picks to Atlanta for safety Jessie Bates III, adding to a defense Pittsburgh will see in Week 14 on Monday night.
One of the AFC teams the Pittsburgh Steelers may have to get past in January made a big move a day before Tuesday's trade deadline. The Jacksonville Jaguars acquired safety Jessie Bates III from the Atlanta Falcons, sending Atlanta a 2027 second-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
The move matters for Pittsburgh because the Jaguars are on the schedule. As SB Nation's Behind the Steel Curtain pointed out, the Steelers go to Jacksonville for a Monday night game in Week 14 that could shape the playoff seeding. Jacksonville is 6-2, the same record as Pittsburgh, and CBS Sports reports the Jaguars hold a three-game lead in the AFC South. Adding a three-time second-team All-Pro to the back end makes that December game harder.
Bates, 29, is in the last year of his contract, so for now he is a rental. CBS Sports lists 60 tackles, one interception and three forced fumbles in nine games for Atlanta this season. It also notes that he has given up a 78.3% completion rate and a 115.2 passer rating in coverage, per TruMedia, so his 2026 has been uneven. Over his career he is tied for the second-most interceptions in the league since he was drafted in 2018, with 28.
The Steelers also come up in a second thread. SB Nation notes that Pittsburgh has been linked for weeks to Jaguars receiver Brian Thomas Jr., but recent reports suggest Jacksonville would rather keep him. A Jaguars team that is buying, not selling, makes that trade look even less likely before the deadline passes.
What it means for Sunday in Cincinnati
The trade does not affect Pittsburgh's next game, but it does connect to it. Bates started his career with the Bengals, who drafted him in the second round, and the Steelers visit Cincinnati on Sunday night, November 15, on NBC with the AFC North lead on the line.
Pittsburgh comes in 6-2 after four straight wins, most recently a 27-6 win over Cleveland. Over that stretch the defense has given up 14.3 points per game, and no opponent has scored more than 22. The Steelers won the first meeting with Cincinnati 30-27 at home. Their two losses both came on the road, 20-3 at New England and 27-24 at Cleveland.
On this site's board, Cincinnati is favored by 3.5 points. Novig, one of 10 venues tracked, prices the Bengals at -178 on the moneyline. The best Bengals price anywhere is -175 at DraftKings, and Pittsburgh is +174 on Novig. Taking the Steelers with the 3.5 points costs -108 on Novig and -107 at Pinnacle, the best price on the board. The total is 48.5, with the over at -111 and the under at -113 on Novig. That total sits well above Pittsburgh's season average of 40.5 combined points per game. The venues are close together: the best moneyline and spread prices are within a few cents of Novig's, and sportsbook hold runs 3.1% to 4.7% on the moneyline.
Full prices are on the Steelers-Bengals game page, and season coverage is on our Steelers team page.