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

[WeezyBengal]

(07-25-2022, 10:28 AM)fredtoast Wrote: That is the spin from Bates side. The fact is that the first year salary is virtually guaranteed. So you can't really compare it to the franchise tag contract.

The $17 million guaranteed was right in line with what we gave Hendrickson, Reader, Boyd, and Wayne's. It did not "miss big". Pretty sure it would be top 5 for safeties. 

Bengals are not cheap with guaranteed money. If that were true we would not have been so successful in free agency recently.

Guys like Minkah Fitzpatrick, Buddah Baker, and Jamal Adams are making over 30M in guaranteed money. Jamal Adams makes 38M in guaranteed money. 

You don't think Bates looks at that and thinks he shouldn't be getting or can't get more than 17M in guaranteed dollars in free agency? The Jaguars just gave Christian Kirk around 40M in guaranteed money for Pete's sake. You could argue he's not even a top 30 guy at his position.

There are either two things happening here - the Bengals don't want to pay that much in guaranteed money (even though they think Bates is worth it) or they don't think Bates' play on the field justifies that much guaranteed money. 

I am not sure which one it is, but I think it could be a combination of both. Bates could have helped himself immensely by having a good season last year. He doesn't really have anyone to blame for the situation other than himself. 

Sounds like he is betting on himself this year to have a bounce back season and get more guaranteed dollars. Honestly, if he just has even an average/above average season he will end up getting around 30M guaranteed from someone.