What happened: Jessie Bates III paced all NFL defenders in Week 9 with 13 total tackles. Sonny Styles finished second with 11 stops, while Christian Gonzalez, Nakobe Dean, and Nick Bolton each recorded 10 tackles.
Why it matters: Bates posted the week-high total shortly before Atlanta agreed to trade the veteran safety to the Jacksonville Jaguars ahead of the deadline. The high-volume tackling outputs also bolstered defensive production across the league as teams crossed the midpoint of the 2026 regular season.
By the numbers: Dean has made 80 tackles in 2026 through 8 games. Bolton has made 68 tackles in 2026 through 7 games, Styles has made 54 tackles in 2026 through 7 games, and Gonzalez has made 31 tackles in 2026 through 7 games.
What to watch: Bates prepares to join Jacksonville's defense ahead of Week 10. Teams now enter the second half of the 2026 regular season with defensive rotations taking shape.