Cincinnati Bengals safety Jessie Bates is fully back with the team after ending his holding and signing his franchise tag.
Buy Bengals TicketsWhile Bates says he’ll work back into things slowly before Week 1, he also told reporters on Wednesday “I think I can go out there right now and play,” according to Marisa Contipelli of Bengals.com.
As others from within the organization have already signaled, Bates’ return comes with more than enough time for him to get up to speed and be on the field for Week 1 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Bates also said that while there were discussions about sitting out longer, he values the game and team too much:
Jessie Bates: “I’m looking at this as an opportunity to prove I’m one of the best safeties in the league.”
Added that he loves this game too much to sit out a whole year. pic.twitter.com/ABGZ75hB4G
— Marisa Contipelli (@BengalsMarisa) August 24, 2022
There’s also this very interesting nugget to keep in mind, via ESPN’s Ben Baby:
Bengals S Jessie Bates: "If you wanna be on a good team, you gotta have a good quarterback." Said that's something that's going to stick in his mind over the next couple of years.
— Ben Baby (@Ben_Baby) August 24, 2022
That note could be a pretty interesting tell of what Bates might prioritize in free agency next offseason seeing as there aren’t many teams with a better quarterback situation than the one in Cincinnati.
He was also very accepting of the team drafting Dax Hill in the first round, per the Cincinnati Enquirer’s Charlie Goldsmith:
Jessie Bates on Dax Hill: "I've been able to see how explosive Dax Hill is. Those guys will contribute in big ways."
'In any business and any negotiations, leverage is the biggest part of that. I understand me and Vonn are on the last year of our deals."
— Charlie Goldsmith (@CharlieG__) August 24, 2022
Keep in mind Bates offered to help Hill from afar with anything he needed during his holdout.
As a whole, Bates’ interview was a good sign of why he’s so well-liked and regarded at all levels of the Bengals’ organization. It was also as expected on all fronts as this situation runs a predictable course before he takes the field in Week 1.
