Should The Bengals Consider Trading Safety Jessie Bates?

After four incredible seasons in Cincinnati, it seems as more and more each day that star safety Jessie Bates III time as Bengal is coming to an end sooner rather than later.

Bates by far without question has been one of the best safeties in the National Football League since being drafted.

He was selected in the 2nd round of the 2018 NFL Draft as the 54th overall pick by the Bengals and have taken the Bengals secondary to new heights ever since being a member of the team.

Already in his four-year career, he has recorded as total of 408 tackles, 2 force fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, along with 35 pass deflections, 10 interceptions, and 1 defensive touchdown.

According to Spotrac, Bates is ranked 4th overall in the safety position of all safeties in football and as of right now has a projected marked value of $14.9m ($14.87m) and is currently 25 years of age.

With that being said, rumors have spread around the sports world that the Bengals are objected to paying that amount of money to keep him with QB Joe Burrow, WR Ja’Marr Chase, and possibly WR Tee Higgins contract talks coming up within the next few years.

The Bengals and Bates have both bumped heads once again since contact talks have begun back in March when free agency was officially open. The team decided to franchise tag him in which according to USA Today, he’s objected to signing and playing this season under.

Bates doesn’t plan on signing the tag nor attending OTA’s until a long term deal is done whether he’s in Cincinnati or not, which narrows the situation down to one solution which is trading him to someone who’s willing to pay him his worth.

Bates and the team still has until July 15th to come to agreement on a long-term extension deal but the way things are looking between the two parties, it’s not looking as if they will. Since Bates hasn’t signed the tag, he won’t be subjected to fines for missing summer work.

To hear more about this story and more around the sports, listen to this episode of the Micbomb Podcast as USA Today’s NFL and Track & Field reporter Tyler Dragon joins the show to speak more with our host Maeshaila on the situation. Click here to find options on how to tune into this episode of the podcast.