Cincinnati Bengals safety Jessie Bates hasn’t shown up at the team’s voluntary offseason workouts. USA Today reported that Bates has no plans to sign the one-year, $12.91 million franchise tag. Jessie Bates is looking for a long-term deal. While there has been reported mutual interest to get a long term deal done, it was telling when the Bengals drafted Safety Daxton Hill in the first round and another in the fifth round. This situation could open up the door for a Bengals trade of Safety Jessie Bates.
Who is Jessie Bates?
Jessie Bates has been a starting safe for the Bengals for the last four years. He has totaled at least 100 tackles three of the past four seasons. In his four-year career, Bates has 408 tackles, 35 pass deflections and 10 interceptions in 63 career games. Safety play opposite of Adrian Amos has been shaky at times, a trade for Bates would establish one of the best safety duos in the NFL.
Proposed Trade:
Packers receive:
- S Jessie Bates
Bengals receive:
- S Darnell Savage
- 2023 third round draft pick
Darnell Savage has been extremely inconsistent in Green Bay as of late. While most of 2020 was pretty incredible play by Savage, 2021 was a major drop off. Last season Savage posted some of his worst PFF grades in his short career. In coverage, his grade was down 13 points from the previous year. In 2020 he posted a coverage grade of 76.7 and in 2021 a grade of 63.6. He was also targeted the most in his short career and gave up a passer rating of 115.1.
The Bengals would benefit from this trade by not only not having to pay their star safety, but they would get a serviceable safety in return who is cheap for the next two years. The Packers benefit from this trade because they shore up possibly the only “weakness” of their entire defense. The Packers all of a sudden have $17M in cap space, good enough for third most in the NFL. Signing Bates to a long term deal with a low 2022 cap hit is very realistic.
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