South Atlanta News

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons secondary benefits from the leadership of two veteran defensive backs with distinct yet effective styles.

Jessie Bates III has embraced the role of vocal leader, while A.J. Terrell leads by example. This combination provides a balanced approach for their teammates.

"It's pretty cool," Falcons secondary coach Justin Hood said. "Because you have one at safety and you have one at corner, who can (each) play at a high level. Everyone in the room is following their lead."

Bates joined the Falcons in 2023 as a free agent after five seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, bringing six years of experience into 2024. Last season, he made significant contributions to the defense with 132 tackles, six interceptions, and one pick-six.

"Jessie, in my opinion, is maybe a little bit more outgoing than A.J.," Hood noted. "But then, when you watch A.J., you literally see his grind and what he does. Every single day, it's the same approach."

Terrell has been with the Falcons since being drafted in 2020 and has started all but six games over four seasons. The team picked up his fifth-year option before the 2023 season, making 2024 his final year under his rookie contract. Last season, Terrell recorded 45 tackles and tied Bates for a team-high 11 pass breakups.

"In terms of how much," Hood said, "it's every day when you see their growth."

Both Bates and Terrell are expected to start at safety and cornerback respectively. However, competition remains for their counterparts' positions.

Richie Grant primarily started alongside Bates in 2023 with DeMarcco Hellams also receiving some starts. Clark Phillips III secured a starting role opposite Terrell towards the end of last season but faces competition from new free agency additions Kevin King and Antonio Hamilton Sr.

No starters have been officially named yet.

"It's been fun," Hood remarked about training camp dynamics. "We have a bunch of guys in that room that understand exactly where they are in regards to the process... I literally have guys in the meeting room right now working their butts off."

Organized team activities conclude on Thursday followed by mandatory minicamp from Monday through Wednesday before a month-long break leading up to training camp in July.

The deadline to be game-ready is Sept. 8 for Week 1 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

"How do I become an All-Pro? How do I execute at a high level on Sunday?" Hood said rhetorically about learning from Bates and Terrell's example.