FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Head coach Kevin Stefanski wasn't surprised or caught off guard by the question posed to him in his first press conference after the organization traded veteran safety Jessie Bates III to the Jacksonville Jaguars. That question being if the Falcons were willing to make this move — to move on from a playmaker of Bates' caliber, a teammate of Bates' leadership — what did the move indicate to fans?

Stefanski, for his part, understood the question and why at this juncture it was asked. Still, his answer brokered no argument.

"I think our fans are smart enough to know that in no way, shape or form would we punt on this season," Stefanski said.

Like all of the teams in the NFC South, he continued, the Falcons have three wins on the year. Meanwhile, in division play, the standings are as followed:

• Carolina Panthers: 1-0
• New Orleans Saints: 0-1
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 2-0
• Atlanta Falcons: 1-2

"Obviously, not where we want to be," Stefanski said. "We want to play better, but we're very much in the thick of this thing and we trust in the guys that we have. I understand the question, and I understand the question in light of the trade."

But, again, "in no way, shape or form" is the Falcons' trade of Bates an indication the team is already looking to move on from 2026.

That doesn't take away the fact the decision to move on from Bates in exchange for a second- and fifth-round pick wasn't difficult to weigh. There is no one-for-one trade off for Bates' leadership (he was a captain, after all) nor his impact (he finishes his time with the Falcons with 14 interceptions, three returned for a touchdown, among many other statistical accolades).

The Falcons know there is no replacing all of that with one singular person.

"There is that business of football. We've all been a part of it. I have been doing this now for — I believe — 20-something years and the business part of this happens. Guys are traded. Guys leave in free agency. Guys get injured. All of the above. It's our job as coaches and players to navigate those times. Do you have to step up when you lose somebody? Absolutely," Stefanski said. "And its never just one person. All of us have to step up in whatever roles we have to step up in. That will be our charge moving forward and I trust the guys that we have."

As Stefanski noted, decision-makers have to live in two worlds: Produce in the present while planning for the future.

This move is continued identification of that notion.

Still, moving on from a player that makes such an obvious and notable difference on the field and in the locker room raises the question not just among the fan base, but in the locker room, too. It's the hardest part of the decision to explain and quantify.

Because on one hand, the ask for players is to play without someone who takes on so much, who can (and has) bailed them out in tough spots. But then there's the return, one that only comes over time and hitting on impact players in the future.

The Falcons acknowledge that tension. They aren't pretending it doesn't exist. It's that tension that makes a decision like this one so complex.

Ultimately, though, the Falcons believe this moves allows them to strengthen the roster over time. That doesn't mean Bates stopped being an outstanding player, a source with knowledge of the team's thinking noted. The judgement, they continued, "was that the total benefit to the organization justified that cost" of losing Bates.

In the end, the business decision was made, and now the Falcons move forward.

"In this case, you have conversations about what this means for the football team," Stefanski concluded, citing conversations with general manager Ian Cunningham and president of football Matt Ryan. "We all felt like this decision is what's best for our football team. Obviously, I know there is a short-term and long-term tension there. I get that part of it. But feel really, really comfortable in how we landed at our decision."