As a result of the ongoing contract issues, Cincinnati Bengals safety Jessie Bates did not report to training camp, per NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero.
The important note here is Bates is not subject to any fines because he has yet to sign his franchise tag.
Mike Garafolo also reports the Bengals are confident Bates will be ready to go whenever he does show up to camp.
The team still feels confident that all is well and that Bates will eventually show up. Because no extension was made before July 15, Bates can only play on the franchise tag this season.
We’ll continue monitoring this story as it develops.
As expected, #Bengals star safety Jessie Bates didn’t report to training camp, per source.
Bates hasn’t signed his $12.9 million franchise tender and thus isn’t subject to fines for his absence, which could go on for a while.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 26, 2022
The #Bengals said they’re confident he’ll be ready to play whenever he shows. No indications as of now they’re willing to entertain any trade scenarios. So we (and they) wait. https://t.co/MYLkaERXCv
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) July 26, 2022
