The End of Bates?

[Whatever]

(03-06-2022, 09:14 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: I wouldn't go so far as to say there's no point. We're trying to win a SB. The deadline for the tag comes before free agency. A bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush. If we let him go and struggle in free agency, that'd be a tough pill to swallow.

If we struggle in FA, it will be a tough pill to swallow no matter what.  

We're trying to win a SB and this has the potential to be a distraction.  I'd like to think it won't hit LeVeon Bell proportions, but there's no guarantee it doesn't.  Agents talk their clients into all sorts of things when they are trying to drive up the price for a position group. There's no guarantee Bates signs the FT and reports to TC.  If he doesn't, what kind of shape does he show up in and when?  That goes beyond the mental issues he said he struggled with last year.

It's obvious he's not a long term solution and he doesn't want to be here unless he gets insane money.  Quality S's are relatively cheap in FA and we have a good record of drafting immediate quality starters.  Dragging out the inevitable isn't in our best interest.