Bates - No Intentions Reporting to Camp or Play on Tag

[PDub80]

Here's an interesting spin off discussion to put Bates III not getting as much as HE wanted from the Bengals...


Which players have failed to come to agreements with the Bengals, left to be a FA somewhere, and then gone on to have actually done well? Which FA careers took off after the Bengals couldn't make a deal happen? TRADES DO NOT count.....

I can think of 3: Andrew Whitworth, Garrison Hearst, Lorenzo Neal... YES, we have to go back THAT far for the 2nd & 3rd.

EDIT: Adding Marvin Jones, Justin Smith, Ahmad Brooks

- Evan Mathis did well with the Eagles and never got a fair shot here.
- Reggie Nelson did ok for the Raiders, but he never peaked again like he did w Cincy. He just didn't fall off a cliff like everyone else.

Point is: The Bengals seem to kind of nail valuations on these guys. The list of big dog FAs that left Cincy and tanked is GROSSLY longer than anyone who turned the Bengals down and continued to shine. History overwhelmingly points to the fact that if Bates III wants THAT much more than the Bengals will give him than he ain't worth it.