I'm honestly tired of Bates' shit. Unfollowing the Bengals on social media and being a whiny ***** about your contract is lame, dude.

If you wanted to make more money, you should have PLAYED BETTER this year. His regular season was below average. The numbers and tape don't lie. BELOW AVERAGE.

And the fact that he said he played poorly this year because he wasn't all there mentally due to the contract situation is LAME. Are you that soft bro? What kind of leadership and effort is that? It's honestly kind of pathetic. You should have worked your tail off and MADE SURE you played as well as you could this year to EARN that top 5 money.

I'm in the Bengals corner with this. Tag his ass and make him prove it again. No way im unloading the brinks truck to this guy. I'm sure hes a good guy on and off the field but this entire thing is just rubbing me the wrong way.

https://twitter.com/rapsheet/status/1500929413206134787?s=21

(03-07-2022, 05:26 PM)Soonerpeace Wrote: https://twitter.com/rapsheet/status/1500929413206134787?s=21

Another online confirmaiton: https://www.nfl.com/news/jessie-bates-bengals-place-franchise-tag-on-safety

Is he going to even play now? He’s worried about getting injured under the franchise tag.

(03-07-2022, 05:51 PM)reuben.ahmed Wrote: Is he going to even play now? He’s worried about getting injured under the franchise tag.

I expect him to be salty, but I also don't see him sitting out when the team is legit contending for a Super Bowl.  Hopefully he doesn't half ass the beginning of the season.

(03-07-2022, 10:36 AM)Bengalbug Wrote: The honey badger is looking to test FA.  If the bengals let bates walk, how would the group feel about bringing in Tyrann on a 3 year/45m deal?  He is older than bates, about to be 30.  But he is still a top player at his position and would Bring a little of that “swag” back that would hopefully keep the defense moral in tact.

To me, Honey Badger is just as good as Jessie.  Jessie may be a truer centerfielder free safety, but Tyrann seems more complete and was a turnover machine in college in INTs and FFs.  He is also more of a fired up vocal leader for the D, which I think we need. And he's from the LSU to boot!

(03-07-2022, 12:30 AM)Whatever Wrote: 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.

Fine...let's just say if we struggle in FA *and* lose Bates, it's going to hurt more than if we struggle in FA and keep one of our top defenders for another year.

I actually kinda side with you on this. I want guys who will play for less to be on a championship contender. Or at least guys who will be fair. Not ones who will try to gouge every extra cent they can out of being on a Super Bowl team.

I'm just willing to admit that this plan of letting Bates walk (IF this is true) could go awry. We have a small window before everyone gets paid on a massive scale. Sure, we'll always be contenders with Burrow, I suppose, but these next couple years are our best shot.

(03-07-2022, 06:07 PM)CardCounterChris Wrote: I expect him to be salty, but I also don't see him sitting out when the team is legit contending for a Super Bowl.  Hopefully he doesn't half ass the beginning of the season.

Guys threaten to sit out all the time on good teams. Guys generally do what's best for them. 

(03-07-2022, 06:54 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: Fine...let's just say if we struggle in FA *and* lose Bates, it's going to hurt more than if we struggle in FA and keep one of our top defenders for another year.

I actually kinda side with you on this. I want guys who will play for less to be on a championship contender. Or at least guys who will be fair. Not ones who will try to gouge every extra cent they can out of being on a Super Bowl team.

I'm just willing to admit that this plan of letting Bates walk (IF this is true) could go awry. We have a small window before everyone gets paid on a massive scale. Sure, we'll always be contenders with Burrow, I suppose, but these next couple years are our best shot.

Yes. The window is small like you say. When Burrow makes $50 million a year, it's going to put a premium on our drafting and playing young guys.

I think Higgins and Jonah will be hard to keep.

(03-07-2022, 11:26 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Guys threaten to sit out all the time on good teams. Guys generally do what's best for them. 

I don't think it will actually be a problem.  My only concern was where he was talking about his contract status getting in the way of his play early last season.

(03-07-2022, 11:28 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Yes. The window is small like you say. When Burrow makes $50 million a year, it's going to put a premium on our drafting and playing young guys.

I think Higgins and Jonah will be hard to keep.

Boyd may be our #2 again in the future. Or we'll just cycle through guys we only keep for their rookie deals. Once Burrow is making $50 million, things will get really tight. We're in a fantastic spot for now though. Which is why I think tagging Bates is a good idea, when otherwise I'd probably rather just move on.

(03-08-2022, 12:12 AM)Shake n Blake Wrote: Boyd may be our #2 again in the future. Or we'll just cycle through guys we only keep for their rookie deals. Once Burrow is making $50 million, things will get really tight. We're in a fantastic spot for now though. Which is why I think tagging Bates is a good idea, when otherwise I'd probably rather just move on.

I wish we could sign Armstead. He's 30...would be a franchise tackle for 4 years. Would be a crazy good signing.

(03-08-2022, 12:58 AM)THE PISTONS Wrote: I wish we could sign Armstead. He's 30...would be a franchise tackle for 4 years. Would be a crazy good signing.

We have our franchise LT. Why do folks want to replace/move Jonah? 

For what Armstead would cost we could most likely get Schreff and Tomlinson 

(03-07-2022, 06:54 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: Fine...let's just say if we struggle in FA *and* lose Bates, it's going to hurt more than if we struggle in FA and keep one of our top defenders for another year.

I actually kinda side with you on this. I want guys who will play for less to be on a championship contender. Or at least guys who will be fair. Not ones who will try to gouge every extra cent they can out of being on a Super Bowl team.

I'm just willing to admit that this plan of letting Bates walk (IF this is true) could go awry. We have a small window before everyone gets paid on a massive scale. Sure, we'll always be contenders with Burrow, I suppose, but these next couple years are our best shot.

I just personally have issues giving elite money to a guy that inconsistent.  If he had backed up his play from 2020 this year, I wouldn't have an issue.  

Oh well.  It's a moot point now, I suppose.  All we can do now is wait for Bates to sign his FT.

(03-08-2022, 01:31 AM)Whatever Wrote: I just personally have issues giving elite money to a guy that inconsistent.  If he had backed up his play from 2020 this year, I wouldn't have an issue.  

Oh well.  It's a moot point now, I suppose.  All we can do now is wait for Bates to sign his FT.

#bengals S Jessie Bates has forced an incompletion on 19.2% of targets since 2019 (highest among 191 players with 100+ targets in coverage)

S Jessie Bates III 19.2
CB Sidney Jones 18.3
S Adrian Amos 17.7
CB Carlton Davis III 17.0
CB Jaire Alexander 16.9

— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) March 7, 2022

(03-08-2022, 01:58 AM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote:

#bengals S Jessie Bates has forced an incompletion on 19.2% of targets since 2019 (highest among 191 players with 100+ targets in coverage)

S Jessie Bates III 19.2
CB Sidney Jones 18.3
S Adrian Amos 17.7
CB Carlton Davis III 17.0
CB Jaire Alexander 16.9

— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) March 7, 2022

Not sure how that shows consistency.  He had more PD's in '20(15) than '19 and '21 combined (13).  Plus his passer rating allowed bounced from 100.1 to 70.7 to 122.0 in that time frame.

I see a higher round safety getting drafted this year to groom behind Bates for a year.

I’m hopeful that Bates and the organization doesn’t progress and effect the team negatively. I hope I’m wrong but I’m worried. It won’t be the front offices fault. I don’t think they’ve low balled him but he may think that. The FO will play nice as long as they possibly can. But I don’t see it ending well. I don’t want a season long distraction.

The Franchise Tag: The players get it, the owners get it, but it seems like some in the media do not get it.

Firstly, griping about the tag is standard for a player. They all hate it. They all get it. They aren't going to hold griping about the TAG against Bates. If it affects his play again, it's up to the locker room leaders to say "Ok Jessie, we get it, but when you're on the field we expect you 100%." I don't see Burrow, Hendrickson etc. putting up with anyone half assing it.

Secondly the owners get it. They know players are going to gripe, and won't hold it against them. It's just business, and Mike Brown is all about the business. And even if he's been stepping back, his attitude about business still permeates the team.

Lastly, the fans and media (who should know better), make up doomsday scenarios based upon grumpy tag receivers, when in reality everyone that's involved just knows it's only business.

(03-08-2022, 01:17 AM)bfine32 Wrote: We have our franchise LT. Why do folks want to replace/move Jonah? 

For what Armstead would cost we could most likely get Schreff and Tomlinson 

This