CINCINNATI – Salama Cincinnati Bengals Jessie Bates III might be underneath contract with the staff for no less than one further season.
The staff introduced on Monday that Bates had earned its franchise label ranking earlier than Tuesday’s deadline. Bates was about to turn out to be a free agent as soon as the rookie deal expired on the finish of the league yr.
“Over the previous yr we’ve got tried to increase his contract right here in Cincinnati,” Kate Blackburn, government vp of the Bengals, stated in an announcement. “Whereas this has not materialized, we wish him right here for 2023 to be part of what we consider needs to be an thrilling soccer season and a shiny future for our group.”
The deal secures Bates’ short-term future together with his membership of selection within the second spherical of the 2018 NFL Draft. In response to Spotrac knowledge, the model is anticipated to be value $13 million. Final week on the NFL Scouting in Indianapolis, Duke Tobin, CEO of the Bengals, reiterated that the franchise’s intent was to maintain him in Cincinnati.
“He is a man who’s grown up and has performed rather well and has an actual position on our staff in so many various areas, notably in management expertise and the sport trade,” Tobin stated. “He is a man we wish to transfer on.”
The franchise tag permits Bates and Bengals to barter a long-term deal via July 15 at 4 p.m. ET. If a multi-year contract shouldn’t be reached by then, Bates won’t be eligible to increase the contract till after the season is over, in response to a collective bargaining settlement between the NFL and the NFL.
Bates performed a pivotal position in bringing the Bengals to their first Tremendous Bowl in 33 years. In 4 postseason video games, he had six passing deflections, 20 tackles and interceptions, together with one in a 23-20 loss to the Los Angeles Rams within the Tremendous Bowl LVI.
Safety, who turned 25 in February, sought to increase his contract with the Bengals after the 2020 marketing campaign; Nevertheless, these pre-season discussions didn’t result in a brand new contract.
He began 15 video games final season, making 88 tackles with interceptions, 4 defensive passes and a faltering restoration.
Since becoming a member of the Bengals in 2018, the previous second-round decide has been one of many staff’s most dependable gamers. He is appeared in 63 out of 65 potential video games in 4 NFL seasons, all of them beginning.
A neck damage suffered a Week 3 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers from the Bates’ streak of 51 consecutive begins, the fifth longest streak in franchise historical past.
