Over the first half of his 2021 season, Cincinnati Bengals safety Jessie Bates hasn’t looked like a guy who was in contention to be the NFL’s top-paid safety this past offseason.
Bates has gone from being one of the NFL’s top-graded defenders to sitting on a 55.6 PFF grade over eight games. Where he would make splash plays last year, he’s been one of the defensive stars who just hasn’t made a play consistently when the unit desperately needs it.
And Bates says some of the problem has been his approach to the season after a contract extension didn’t happen, as captured by Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com:
“I think it kind of goes into everything. I feel like I’m at a better head space now than I was at the beginning of the season. So caught on to proving the wrong people right and the main thing I should be focusing on is proving the right people right as far as my coaches, my teammates, my family and not worry about all of the other stuff. I know that’s going to work out, I know what type of player I am, that stuff’s going to work out regardless. But like I said I’ve got to be better for this team, so I’m excited for it.”
Bates says he spent the bye week getting his mind right and addressing this issue, which he hopes leads to a return to form.
It’s an admirable, honest admission from a star player in a league that overvalues keeping things vague and secretive. It might not help his agent get leverage in extension talks, but neither will the poor play.
If nothing else, Bates’ teammates need him to get back to being that elite presence on the back end of the defense if the unit is to pull itself out of a miserable two-game collapse.
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