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Jeff Ulbrich Reveals Which Atlanta Falcons Defender He’s Most Excited to Work With

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Jeff Ulbrich Reveals Which Atlanta Falcons Defender He’s Most Excited to Work With


As the Atlanta Falcons begin their 60th season, there have been several players who have etched their names into team lore. However, their history of game-changing free agents is a relatively short one.

Free agency is still relatively new to the NFL, and for the first two-thirds of their existence, the Falcons had owners who were more content to lose free agents than spend to be competitive in the league.

That changed with Arthur Blank in 2002.

Still, coming up with a list of the best Falcons free agents of all time, it’s hard to come up with names. Center Alex Mack immediately comes to mind. Mack signed with the Falcons in 2016 and went to four Pro Bowls with the club.

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After just two seasons in Atlanta, safety Jessie Bates III is firmly in the discussion as well. New defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich would likely cast his vote that direction. Ulbrich has a lot of young players who were high draft picks at camp, as well as some established veterans.

He was asked this week if anyone has stood out to him that he’s the most excited to work with.

“Can I say Jessie Bates,” Ulbrich answered with a smile. “Captain Obvious a little bit. He’s one of the best safeties I’ve ever been around playing or coaching. His stuff above the neck is one of one as far as I’m concerned.”

Bates is halfway through a four-year, $64-million contract he signed in 2023. He made the Pro Bowl and was an All-Pro that season and was inexplicably left off both lists in 2024.

Seeing how smart Bates is has already made an impression on Ulbrich.

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“His ability to see this game, probably better than most coaches I’ve ever been around,” said Ulbrich.

Bates will likely be paired with rookie Xavier Watts at safety this year, and fellow rookie Billy Bowman Jr. could see extensive playing time at nickel as well. Having Bates in the backfield will pay dividends beyond his play on the field.

“As we’re installing new defenses, I’m just looking at him and his body language, and he’s like searching in the sky for like ‘where do my plays live within this defense?’ It’s just so unique. And the questions he asks are so deliberate, intentional,” said Ulbrich.

Ulbrich summed up Bates’s approach and the leadership he provides on the backside of the defense.

“He doesn’t want to just know it, he wants to master it. It’s very unique in that way.”

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With two years left on his contract, Bates turned 28 in February. He has several years of prime football left in the tank. He should be even better moving forward now that the Falcons have finally invested in pressure players in front of him.

Pressured quarterbacks make bad decisions, and when they do, Jessie Bates will anticipate and pounce.



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Atlanta, GA

Buckhead apartment building evacuated due to dangerous carbon monoxide levels

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Buckhead apartment building evacuated due to dangerous carbon monoxide levels


A Buckhead apartment building was evacuated for a time late Tuesday night due to a carbon monoxide alarm. 

What we know:

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The incident occurred at an apartment complex in the 2900 block of Pharr Court South. 

According to Atlanta Fire Rescue, firefighters are investigating elevated carbon monoxide levels.

The entire building was evacuated as a precaution. 

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One person was evaluated at the scene for possible carbon monoxide exposure. 

Crews ventilated the building while they looked for the source.

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Firefighters say they were able to finally locate the source and contain it.

Once readings were back to a safe level, residents were allowed back inside the apartments.

What we don’t know:

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It remains unclear how many residents were displaced by the evacuation. 

The Source: The details in this article come from the Atlanta Fire Rescue.

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Atlanta, GA

2 arrested in deadly drive-by shooting of 7-year-old Atlanta girl, police say

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2 arrested in deadly drive-by shooting of 7-year-old Atlanta girl, police say


Two suspects in a shooting that left a 7-year-old Atlanta girl dead and her mother injured are now in custody nearly a week after the violence, police say.

The shooting happened around 9:45 p.m. on Feb. 24 at a home on the 2200 block of Tiger Flowers Drive NW.

Investigators believe the shooting stemmed from a dispute between one of the victim’s family members and the gunman over the phone. Thirty minutes after the argument, the suspect came back and fired shots into the home, police said.

Officers responding to the scene found a 44-year-old woman and her daughter, identified as 7-year-old Zoe Price, shot. Medics rushed the pair to a local hospital, but Price died from her injuries.

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Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said the department’s homicide unit secured an arrest warrant for 19-year-old Preston Smith two days after the shooting. Smith turned himself in to the Fulton County Jail on March 2.

Schierbaum said officers executed a search warrant on Feb. 27 at a home on McDaniel Street. On that day, 17-year-old Steven Richardson, who police described as an “accomplice,” turned himself in to authorities.

Both men are charged with murder, criminal attempt to commit murder, three counts of aggravated assault, second-degree criminal damage to property, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and four counts of third-degree cruelty to children. Richardson is also charged with possession of a Firearm by a Person Under 18.

At a press conference to announce the arrests, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens described Price as a bright and compassionate little girl who was “full of energy and full of joy.”

“Her life was cut short in an act of senseless violence, and that loss is not abstract. It is a chair that is going to be missing at the dinner table each night. It is an empty classroom seat next to her friends,” Dickens said.

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The mayor called the arrests “a step forward towards justice” for Price’s family and families across the city.

Dickens said that violence, like the act that took Price’s life, would not be tolerated in Atlanta.



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Atlanta Braves News: Top 30 Prospects, Starting Pitching Depth, More

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Atlanta Braves News: Top 30 Prospects, Starting Pitching Depth, More


On Monday, the Braves were able to earn another Spring Training victory over the Detroit Tigers. It was a game where the starting pitching depth of the Braves was on full display, as Bryce Elder, Joey Wentz, and Owen Murphy all threw multiple innings. While it is likely unwise to expect big things from any of these three arms this season, they are a part of the “next man up” group for the Braves if injury again impacts the rotation. Each had a solid effort today, a trend that will hopefully continue.



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