PFF Ranks Cincy's Defense top 10.

[SunsetBengal]

(10-16-2020, 09:10 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: The question is how many of those safeties still had a year of control left? I am not on board with extending Bates this offseason.

Bates is playing for a $1.15m base salary next year if he doesn't sign an extension. PLUS the safety franchise tag in 2020 was only $11.15m. So even if you add a bit onto that and call it $12.something million... that means the Bengals can control Bates for another 2yr/$13.5m or so. 

I'm actually all good with not extending him for now. Let him play for $13m+ over the next two years, and turn that savings into money you can throw at FA OL. There's a finite amount of time the Bengals have where they don't have to pay a QB $30m+/yr. Don't blow it on giving players unnecessary raises while hobbling yourself from a cap standpoint. Get the most talent you possibly can for now because a time is coming where you won't be able to.

Did you even read the link?  All of the top 5 are under contract until 2025.