Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor isn’t sweating the absence of star safety Jessie Bates at voluntary OTAs.
Bates, set to play on the franchise tag after extension talks stalled, was a staple of getting guys to voluntary workouts in the past but has opted to stay away for this portion of the offseason program this year.
That’s not too shocking given that they’re voluntary and he’s got a lot of money at stake over the long-term, should he suffer an injury. It probably doesn’t hurt that the locker room culture and Super Bowl roster has been solidified.
Either way, Taylor wasn’t one to fret about it when asked, as noted by ESPN’s Ben Baby:
When asked if Bengals safety Jessie Bates will particpate in voluntary OTAs, Taylor said he intends to take it on a day-to-day basis.
— Ben Baby (@Ben_Baby) May 3, 2022
Taylor also noted he’s not concerned about guys he knows will keep up with their training while skipping voluntaries, suggesting Bates is one of those.
We’ll see if Bates stays away from team activities as the summer goes on, but right now, there isn’t much too shocking about a star player with a long-term contract at stake taking a continued break after a Super Bowl run during what was literally the longest NFL season ever.
