Jordan Schultz is reporting that Bengals impending free agent S Jessie Bates is likely to sign with another this offseason.
Schultz expects Bates to be “one of the most sought-after” defensive free agents in the coming weeks.
Earlier in the week, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reported that the Browns have Bates on their radar as a target in free agency this year.
The Browns are releasing S John Johnson at the start of the league year, so they have a clear need at the position and should know Bates really well.
Bates, 26, is a former second-round pick of the Bengals back in 2018. He played out the final year of his four-year rookie contract worth $4,947,818 which included a signing bonus of $1,678,412.
Bates was set to be an unrestricted free agent in 2022 when the Bengals placed the franchise tag on him worth $12.911 million fully guaranteed.
In 2022, Bates appeared in 16 games for the Bengals and recorded 71 tackles, four interceptions, a forced fumble and eight pass defenses.
We have him included in our Top 100 – 2023 NFL Free Agents list.
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