What every AFC North team needs do before Week 1

The Bengals need to extend Jessie Bateman

Cincinnati’s defense hasn’t been much to write home about in recent years, but they have found a diamond in the rough in Jessie Bates. The star safety is in the last year of his rookie deal in 2021. That means it’s time to sign him up to a contract extension.

Bates expressed a desire to stay with the Bengals, so the urgency is less about fear of losing him and more about the price.

Pro Football Focus graded Bates as the No. 1 safety in the NFL in 2020. Cincinnati is going to have to pay him like it.

The Broncos made Justin Simmons the highest-paid safety in the league at $15.2 million per year. Bates deserves that kind of money.

Still, if the Bengals wait too long, they could run into the problem of having to compete with other even higher salaries. Jamal Adams is due an extension from the Seahawks and they’re going to have to give him a huge offer.

Get in before that and Cincinnati will avoid spending more than necessary while still doing right by Bates.