Why the **** is Jessie Bates not signed yet?

[*SHRacerX*]

(04-18-2022, 05:18 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: Seriously, why?

He himself has said he doesn't want to be the highest paid safety in the league. Taking that into account, the Bengals can absolutely afford to take on his new contract and should pay him.

Look, I know this has been beaten to death, but hear me out...

The salary cap is set to EXPLODE in a year or two with the new TV deals kicking in, fans back in attendance, gambling money, and the amazon money coming in.

Shouldn't the Bengals be doing everything possible to sign their best players to extensions right now BEFORE the cap increases? That way they are paying guys relative to this years cap number which is smaller than the future cap number. You could almost get a discount on Bates by signing him now compared to the current cap number and before contracts are set to sky rocket.

People have this same theory about signing Burrow next off-season - why would we not apply it to Bates?

Look at Jalen Ramsey for example. The guy is the best CB in the league and signed a deal in 2020 - 100 million over 5 years with 10 million of that guaranteed. Denzel Ward who is an inferior player just got basically the same deal with the Browns with over 75 million of it guaranteed.

Do we see where this is going?

If the rumors are true and it's hung up on guaranteed money (say Bates want's 80% of it guaranteed) then the front office is truly ***** themselves. If you can't get by giving your best player on defense guaranteed money than you sure as hell aren't going to get by giving some of the best players in the NFL guaranteed money (Burrow, Chase).

Some fans are going to point the finger at the front office for not having the "guts" to guarantee more of the deal.  I am unsure of this actual verbiage, but I have HEARD that some of the so-called guaranteed money isn't always guaranteed after all.  There can be language that states "the money is guaranteed if the player is on the roster.  Well, then if the player is injured or a complete dud after getting the deal, they can be released and the so-called guarantee is dust.

Bates had a poor season by most measures, but was lights out in the playoffs.  He openly admitted this himself and bravely blamed his own ability to not let the lack of a contract extension affect him.  I respect that.  However, he is turning around and allowing the same thing (although the FT is much greater than his earnings last year).  Say his play returns to this below average performance after he signs, and he thinks he should still have 80% of the contract guaranteed?  I don't think so.  

Look at his peers like Bell, Awuzie, Hilton, and Apple.  All starters.  All quality players (and I think Awuzie is the best of the bunch).  Their salaries are individually a fraction of what the Bengals have reportedly offered Bates.  Why does he think he is worth that much more than all of them and guaranteed?  

In my eyes, and I will be the minority here, this is about an agent's ego and not a player's value.  This agent also represents Tee Higgins and I could see that being a problem down the road.  I'm not going to stress about Higgins now, but I feel bad for Bates as I think he is getting really bad advice from his agent.  For his mental health, and to be in a place where he knows everyone, knows the scheme, has trust in the DC, and is offered a top dollar contract (just without the guarantees beyond the first year, but I am sure a big signing bonus), he should have just signed.  As it is, he is on a one-year deal and he could find himself with a LOT less on the table a year from now if he has an injury of plays the entire season like he did last year in the regular season.  

For the record, I love the guy and think he is a top tier safety, but I think he is making a mistake here.  Hope it works out for him in the long run.