07-18-2022, 02:57 PM
I like Bates and want him on the team, but he needs to exist in reality.
I like him and what he brings to the team, but I like what Burrow, Chase, and Higgins bring a whole lot more. The front office understands what made this team Super Bowl caliber last year and they are preparing to do all they can to keep it intact for the entirety of the aforementioned players' prime years, if at all possible.
Paying a safety 18-20 mil per doesn't help them accomplish this. Bates' loss might be tough, but replacing good players is something they're going to need to learn how to do if they are going to have long-term success in the Burrow era.
Jesse has to do what's best for him, but I think he needs to consider his agent's aggressive tactics and how they may impact his career. I'm not a financial advisor, but I'll take a wild guess that losing 12.5 mil is going to sting Jesse Bates a lot more than it's going to impact the Bengals on the field. A year off the field is also highly unlikely to make him a better player, or one that's any more enticing to teams interested in his services. it's quite possible he'd just get franchised in 2023, anyway.
Jesse has terrible leverage in this situation. It's so bad, that I almost feel for the guy. Almost. Everyone watching knows this, and the Brown family absolutely knows it. An arrogant, grandstanding agent being aggressive in negotiations with the family is like a housecat threatening a tiger. Thye've seen this movie before, and they rarely make concessions. Bates should bet on himself, get his 12.5 mil, and move on.
I like him and what he brings to the team, but I like what Burrow, Chase, and Higgins bring a whole lot more. The front office understands what made this team Super Bowl caliber last year and they are preparing to do all they can to keep it intact for the entirety of the aforementioned players' prime years, if at all possible.
Paying a safety 18-20 mil per doesn't help them accomplish this. Bates' loss might be tough, but replacing good players is something they're going to need to learn how to do if they are going to have long-term success in the Burrow era.
Jesse has to do what's best for him, but I think he needs to consider his agent's aggressive tactics and how they may impact his career. I'm not a financial advisor, but I'll take a wild guess that losing 12.5 mil is going to sting Jesse Bates a lot more than it's going to impact the Bengals on the field. A year off the field is also highly unlikely to make him a better player, or one that's any more enticing to teams interested in his services. it's quite possible he'd just get franchised in 2023, anyway.
Jesse has terrible leverage in this situation. It's so bad, that I almost feel for the guy. Almost. Everyone watching knows this, and the Brown family absolutely knows it. An arrogant, grandstanding agent being aggressive in negotiations with the family is like a housecat threatening a tiger. Thye've seen this movie before, and they rarely make concessions. Bates should bet on himself, get his 12.5 mil, and move on.
