The Cincinnati Bengals expect a big turnout for OTAs before training camp next week.
And star safety Jessie Bates is a big reason for that.
Bates, the new Bengals representative to the NFL Players Association, took a leadership role alongside head coach Zac Taylor in calling players and rounding them up for the voluntary workouts.
Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com captured Bates’ thoughts on the situation:
“Getting everybody’s opinion from our team was good. There wasn’t much disagreement or anything like that. I think it was just smart for us to come in for three weeks before minicamp. For us, we can’t just go in off virtual meetings and have a productive minicamp. Just getting around each other and being able to talk to people in person, I feel like that plays a huge part in communication for a defense. I’m excited.”
Bates has long been tabbed by outside observers as one of the guys who will step up big as a leader while ushering in a new era for the locker room. Clearly, that thought has started to be very true.
This revelation comes at a time when a handful of teams are calling off OTAs altogether or dramatically altering the drills and structure of things.
But the Bengals sound like a team ready to have Joe Burrow and the majority of the roster at Paul Brown Stadium next week — in part thanks to Bates stepping up.
