Compile Bates Contract For Free

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network is reporting that the Bengals offered Bates just $4 million more in guaranteed money than he is set to get on the franchise tag ($12.91 million). That means Cincinnati offered Bates a four-year extension with roughly $17 million guaranteed.

CINCINNATI Bengals Safety Jessie Bates has finally signed the designated franchise tag with the team. The Bengals announced Bates was re-signed Tuesday morning to play with the Bengals in 2022 for a reported salary of $13 million.

They do expect him to play this year, but no one is putting a timetable on when they expect him to start practicing. Bates has until Nov. 15 to sign the tag or he'll forfeit the entire 2022 season.

Bates needs to sign the franchise tag before then to receive the entire, fully guaranteed salary of $12.9 million. The second deadline is Nov. 15. Bates will be ineligible to play for the rest of the season if he hasn't signed the tag by then.

Safety Jessie Bates returned to the Bengals facility on Tuesday morning and he officially signed on for another year with the team a short time later. The Bengals announced that Bates has signed his franchise tender. He is now guaranteed $12.91 million for the 2022 season.

Rapoport noted in July that Cincinnati's final offer to Bates included only $4 million more in guaranteed money over five years than what he would make on the one-year tender this season. Signing the tag now ensures Bates will be paid the entirety of the $12.911 million.

The Cincinnati Bengals and safety Jessie Bates were unable to reach an agreement on a long-term contract extension prior to the NFL's July 15 deadline. Because no deal is in place, Bates' future in Cincinnati remains a question mark and the biggest storyline surrounding the Bengals as training camp begins.