UNDISPUTED: Are Atlanta Falcons' Jessie Bates & Xavier Watts the NFL’s #1 Safety Duo?

Atlanta Falcons’ safety duo Jessie Bates and Xavier Watts electrify as NFL’s top playmaking tandem and can cement their dominance in 2026. Scheme tweaks signal big changes: with Sydney Brown joining from the Eagles and Natrone Brooks and Darren Hall transitioning from cornerback to safety, the Falcons bolster their defensive flexibility. Host Aaron Freeman examines Atlanta’s shift toward more big nickel, dime packages, and quarters coverage, questioning if roster favorites like DeMarcco Hellams can fit this evolving system or if special teams prowess will be their only path to a roster spot. Debate heats up over who claims the fourth safety slot, as Brooks, Hall, Hellams, and Jammie Robinson battle for a place on the 53-man roster. Heightened competition on punt coverage could tip the scales where special teams contributions could decide the future for Atlanta’s secondary. Don’t miss this high-stakes breakdown of the Falcons’ revamped defense and the roster competition shaping up ahead of training camp. #atlantafalcons #nfl #trainingcamp #jessiebates #xavierwatts #sydneybrown #demarccohellams #natronebrooks #jammierobinson #darrenhall Photo Credit: Brett Davis, Mark J. Rebilas - Imagn Images Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms 🎧 https://lockedonpodcasts.com/podcasts/locked-on-falcons/ Locked On NFL League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Draft, & More 🎧 https://lockedonpodcasts.com/leagues/nfl Become a Locked On Falcons Insider for in-depth analysis every day! https://joinsubtext.com/lockedonfalcons Join our Discord server! https://discord.gg/lockedonfalcons Everydayer Club If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonfalcons.supercast.com/ Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Square Get up to $200 off Square hardware when you sign up at https://square.com/go/lockedonnfl! #squarepod Betterhelp This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Sign up and get 10% off at http://BetterHelp.com/LOCKEDON. Gametime Today's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase. Ultra Pouches Don’t sleep on Ultra Pouches. New customers get 15% Off with code LOCKEDONNFL at https://takeultra.com! #UltraPouches #ad Warby Parker Our listeners can buy one pair of glasses and get 20% off any additional pairs at https://WarbyParker.com/LOCKEDONNFL — and using our link helps support the show. #WarbyParker #ad Odoo Great organizations win because operations matter. And that’s why you should get Odoo. Try for free today at https://Odoo.com/lockedon. FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Join all the action at https://FANDUEL.COM to play Daily Dingers and make your free pick on who’s hitting a homer this MLB season. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at https://sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit https://FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit https://ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit https://ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.