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Source: Falcons adding Jessie Bates III on 4-year, $64.02M deal

The Atlanta Falcons continued their free agent spending spree Monday, agreeing to terms with former Cincinnati Bengals safety Jessie Bates III, sources told ESPN.

The deal, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter, is for four years and $65.02 million and including $23 million in the first year and $36 million over the first two years overall. It makes Bates the fourth-highest-paid safety in NFL history.

Bates gives Atlanta a top-end safety in the secondary for new defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen to go with cornerback A.J. Terrell, whom the team took in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft.