07-17-2022, 10:08 AM
(07-16-2022, 08:15 PM)Go Cards Wrote: Said at the end of the season that there was only two choices, pay Bates or release him.
Everybody understands there will not be enough money available to sign him next year, so don't get making him mad and using the tag. He already mailed it in last regular season and may again if disgruntled. For the record I would much rather he mailed it in during league play and balled out in playoffs like he did though and still like the kid.
I don't hate Bates at all even, in this league you have to get your money while you can and this will probably be his biggest contract of his career, I get it.
On the Bengals side though the tag was only smart if you knew Bates would happily play on the tag. Yet if there was a question at all about him playing or having his heart 100% into the team while doing so ? Then it was time to move along and use that $13 million on a FA that would help out Bengals more so during a win now season.
Now Bates is in a tough spot as well, being a more athletic safety has been signed. If he plays on tag and gets out played by a rookie then his value drops like a lead zeppelin before negotiations even begin on his contract. It's a mess that should have been avoided imo, Bates earned his payday in the playoffs and we should have let him cash in since we were monetarily hamstrung with Burrow, Chase, Higgins, and Wilson contracts looming.
It's sad because I want both sides to win in this deal.
Nice post.
The league in general is starting to give more guaranteed money in contracts that the Bengals don’t like doing. They will need to adjust that to keep,up,with the ever changing times in the NFL to get things done.
Bates and his agent have to meet the Bengals somewhere in the middle. Pat of me thinks the agent is saying “Look what I did with the Watson deal, let’s get something similarly done for you in the safety position.
So I think both sides need to realize it’s not their way or the highway.
Also was the Bengals thinking all along we need money for Joe and Chase so,let’s tag him to get one more good year out of Bates with a contract they knew would never get signed?
Nothing but speculating when you don’t know the d\yna ics of the negotiations.
