As good and consistent as safety Jessie Bates as been for the Cincinnati Bengals, he is clearly not top priority financially long term. Bates and the Bengals were not able to reach an extension agreement by last Fridays deadline. There are speculations that Jessie could hold out of training camp to ensure he doesn’t jeopardize his health during these uncertain times. The franchise tagged veteran may not be feeling the love in Cincinnati but that could change on another team near you. These are a few teams that should come knocking for a trade.
LA Rams
The Rams defense get a lot of credit behind the success of Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey. One thing I did notice last season is when the stars duo are not having an absolute monster game, there’s a drop off in momentum. The Rams may have Taylor Rapp but Jessie Bates packs more star power. While quarterbacks are steadily avoiding Jalen, who can you say picks up the slack? Darious Williams took his talents to Jacksonville which weakens the secondary even more. The Rams need more playmakers in their DB room to catapult their back to back chances. Jessie Bates and the Rams should meet again but this time on the same side.
Houston Texans
The Texans let top safety Justin Reid slip off their roster this off season but that is not the only reason they need Jessie Bates. In the 2022 NFL Draft, the Texans grabbed Baylor’s safety Jalen Pitre 37th overall but that is, ironically, why Bates fits well in Houston. Let me explain. The secondary is also especially talented after selecting the rising gem of the draft Derek Stingley 3rd overall! I’m saying all that to say this: They are all still very YOUNG and INEXPERIENCED. Traits and qualities Bates could bring to the table as a plus. Hypothetically, the Texans would be making a smart investment after a trade then offer a 5 – year deal.
New York Giants
This Giants defense is in desperate need of secondary help! Former cornerback James Bradberry now suits up for a division rival and that’s not all. Outside of promising safety Xavier Mckinney, that position is slim on game changing assets. No offense to those guys, the NFL has always been known for “What have you done for me lately?” On top of it all, Bates has super bowl experience as one of the leading impact players since he was drafted by the Bengals 2018. Jessie Bates will fill a necessary defensive void providing another consistent dominate presence. I’m sure Giants fans everywhere would appreciate that kind of juice on the roster.
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