In predictable fashion, the deadline for franchise tagged players to sign an extension with their teams passed on Friday without Jessie Bates and the Cincinnati Bengals doing a deal.
And as expected, a handful of Bates’ teammates had things to say on the subject.
Some, like Mike Hilton, kept it really simple. He had been adamant in the past about wanting the team to extend Bates. Tyler Boyd went a little more in-depth, straight-up saying the team needs to pay him. And Chidobe Awuzie not only retweeted Boyd’s message, but sent out right after what seemed to mesh with the theme.
Some of the reactions:
@jlbiii3 best safety in the land we need to pay him
— Tyler Boyd (@boutdat_23) July 15, 2022
Wow…..
— Mike Hilton (@MikeHilton_28) July 15, 2022
respect ya passion… do what’s required & then sum..
— Chidobe Awuzie ℗ (@ChidobeAwuzie) July 15, 2022
None of this should be too shocking. Before the team went on break, Joe Burrow himself made it clear he wants the team to extend Bates by saying while they can put a price on his on-field play, you can’t put a price on what he does for the locker room. Burrow and Bates then attended a UFC event together.
The lack of an extension now isn’t the end of Bates in Cincinnati by any means, but it does cast major doubt over the long-term pairing. Reports say he’s already planning on skipping training camp.
