Deals that make sense for Bates

[BFritz21]

CBS Sports just wrote an article with eight potential trade targets on Sunday night, which you mentioned a few of these.

Quote:8. Jets
They're clearly invested in upgrading Robert Saleh's lineup, specifically on defense. And pairing Bates with new starter Jordan Whitehead would give them a dynamic duo on the back end. Lamarcus Joyner, now 31 and coming off a serious injury, is better served coming off the bench. But is general manager Joe Douglas really going to break the bank for Bates when he wouldn't do it for Jamal Adams or Marcus Maye, and after already giving Whitehead decent money (up to $14.5 million)?

7. Commanders
It's as simple as this: Ron Rivera is a defensive guy, and the weakest link on his otherwise feisty defense is the secondary, specifically safety. Washington has financial flexibility going into 2022, and depending on Carson Wentz's performance at quarterback, they could save tens of millions by resetting that spot in 2023. Bates would represent a monumental upgrade over current starters Bobby McCain and Kamren Curl, giving Rivera a true centerfielder.

6. 49ers
Jimmie Ward has quietly but steadily risen to be one of San Francisco's top players on the back end of a stingy "D," but Jaquiski Tartt and linebacker hybrid Marcell Harris, who combined to start 21 games in 2021, are both gone. Their successor, Talanoa Hufanga, a 2021 fifth-rounder, saw limited action as a rookie. The 49ers figure to rely even more on their defense to make another title push now that Trey Lance is taking over at QB, but they also already spent big at corner for Charvarius Ward.

5. Colts
Even though they traded for Matt Ryan, it's pretty clear the Colts are built to win with their defense in 2022. And the one position that doesn't have a bona fide stud is safety, after the D-line (DeForest Buckner), linebackers (Darius Leonard) and corners (Stephon Gilmore or Kenny Moore). Rodney McLeod is solid, if better suited as the No. 3, and he's a rental anyway. Justin Blackmon, meanwhile, is promising but coming off a torn Achilles. As a bonus, Bates was born and raised in Indiana.

4. Patriots
When can Bill Belichick ever be counted out when it comes to a big name on the block? Both Adrian Phillips and Kyle Dugger have done good things at the position for their solid defense, but mainstay Devin McCourty will be 35 this year, and top play-maker J.C. Jackson is gone after bolting for the Chargers in free agency. Bates would help offset the loss of a difference-maker and could conceivably play multiple roles for Belichick, who's still riding an old-school defensive approach.

3. Raiders
New GM Dave Ziegler has already proven he's willing to go big or go home, so why not keep going? His safety room isn't barren, with 2021 second-rounder Trevon Moehrig starting all 17 games as a rookie, but the hard-hitting Johnathan Abram may or may not be in their long-term plans after he had his fifth-year option declined. In the high-flying AFC West, proven secondary pieces are invaluable, and they have plenty of cash ($21.6M in remaining 2022 cap space) to pay Bates up front.

2. Cowboys
Dallas already has two of the NFL's top defensive play-makers in Micah Parsons and Trevon Diggs. Imagine if they use some of the $22.5M in remaining 2022 cap space to make Bates part of the equation. Jayron Kearse was a force in his 2021 breakout, but he's logged just one full season as a starter in the NFL. Malik Hooker is just fine, too, but he's yet to play a full season and isn't breaking the bank after re-signing. Jerry Jones loves a good splash, and this one would help reinforce their defense's title aspirations both in the short and long term.

1. Eagles
If there's one team that's made a big move at pretty much every position of need this offseason, it's the Eagles, who addressed holes at receiver (A.J. Brown), defensive tackle (Jordan Davis), pass rusher (Haason Reddick), linebacker (Kyzir White) and cornerback (James Bradberry). The last one left is safety, where Jaquiski Tartt has come aboard as camp competition but Anthony Harris and Marcus Epps are serving as placeholder starters. Trade-happy GM Howie Roseman has admittedly struggled to identify long-term answers at safety via the draft, and he practices and preaches the importance of patient roster-building. So Bates, who played on a Bengals team that employed current Eagles assistant head coach Jemal Singleton, represents the ideal solution for a quiet NFC East contender.

I have my doubts that this whole scenario ends up working for us, but they just posted it a few hours so let's hope they know something we don't and that our front office is paying attention.

I've seen Dallas taking a safety in the first round of next year's draft and them having that much cap space makes the trade make sense.

Roseman being trade-happy and the Eagles needing a safety also makes a lot of sense and let's just hope that our front office takes their heads out of their asses and gets something for him.

(I do realize that we can't trade him until he signs the tag.)

I feel like he'd fit in Washington and be the missing piece that they need, but what would they give up?

Colts also seem like he'd be the missing piece and plus that's where he's from.

Actually, most of those options seem to make a lot of sense, so I'll be PISSED if we don't at least get something for him.

If Mike were still running things, I can see him being too stubborn to trade him, but let's hope that we continue with our good moves and trade his ass.

I feel like our front office should show this list to those teams and hopefully let them get into a bidding war for him.

I PRAY we make a move and trade him!