07-05-2022, 09:59 AM
(07-05-2022, 09:34 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: Yeah, I hear ya on the concentration and the income relative to the average Americans, but they also need to make enough money in their relatively short careers to take care of them the rest of their lives. Not many invest well. They live a very lavish lifestyle (not all, but many) and with zero income other than a small NFL pension, funds run out quickly.
Personally, I really want the ring this year while Bates is on the roster as I think of him as one of the guys that stuck it out during tough times and now has gotten to the top. Always loved his play, his character, and his drive. I don't begrudge him trying to earn every penny, but if you ask me if I was Bates and was offered a 4 year extension for somewhere around $56 million, I would have jumped at it regardless of what my agent said with guarantees, scale, etc.
He knows this team, the coaches, and the scheme. He is a perfect fit. The signing of Dax and Anderson doesn't prevent Bates from being part of the long term plans at all. Lou loves 3 safety looks with versatile players. Maybe Hill or Anderson take Bell's job in a few years? Maybe they are excellent depth. Maybe they can play CB? You know the old saying, you can never have enough corners...well, it should say "secondary".
Maybe Jesse is fearing a 2nd tag if he plays well....still, if that happens it will be around $16 million per and that would have given him $28 million over the past two years. And he would still be prime for another bite of the apple at just 27 years of age.
This is where many of them screw up. They are making huge amounts of money early enough in life to invest in an education (which they should have already gotten btw) and set themselves up on the path to a career after football.
