The clock continues to tick on the Jessie Bates front for Cincinnati Bengals.
Bates, currently on the franchise tag, will play the entire 2022 season on that tag unless his reps and the team agree to a long-term extension by July 15. After that, he’ll hit free agency.
That might not sound like that big of a deal, as the team could always tag him again or work something out at a later date.
But there’s a complication: Joe Burrow, Tee Higgins and Logan Wilson become eligible for long-term deals after the 2022 season. And the Bengals haven’t been shy in saying they’d like to get Burrow’s done early.
In the wake of the Bengals making safety Dax Hill a first-round pick, Bates wasn’t in town for voluntary OTAs, either. Zac Taylor had to comment on that.
The Bengals have made multiple pushes over the last year and change to work something out, only for it to not happen. Barring a dramatic change in their approach, they’ll keep trying this summer, too.
It’s important to keep in mind, though, that teammates aren’t stressing the situation. Mike Hilton said the following, per Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com: “Everybody knows the business side of the NFL. And nobody would be upset or pissed at him if he didn’t show up or he ended up going somewhere else. It’s just part of the game.”
Given the overarching context, it sure feels like that July 15 date could be it, though, making it the key date to know. If there’s not an extension by 4 p.m. ET that day, it might be safe to ride with the idea that the Bengals will turn their long-term finances to other matters.
