The Cincinnati Bengals don’t currently project to get something done with star safety Jessie Bates before the July 15 deadline.
That news comes from a new national report that makes it sound like there is little confidence the two sides can bridge the gap on their differences when it comes to money.
As such, Bates figures to play the 2022 season under the franchise tag, with the potential for a holdout into training camp.
Given the nature of the standoff, Bengals fans and NFL fans as a whole had plenty to say when the news broke, so let’s look at some of the best reactions.