Have the Cincinnati Bengals ended their history of frugality?

The Cincinnati Bengals are off to a surprisingly hot start and have cemented their place as contenders in the ultra competitive AFC North.

The Cincinnati Bengals made an unexpected Super Bowl run. Now get better.

This season was a result of drastic improvements throughout the last three years including important free-agent signings and explosive draft picks. While the season and future of the franchise looks optimistic, the team has yet to prove it’s committed to fixing the mistakes that led to its downfall in the 2010s.

During the Andy Dalton era in Cincinnati, the Bengals were known as a frugal franchise. The team consistently missed out on big-name free agents and refused to spend the money necessary to retain their stars.

In 2016, the Bengals let go of both Mohamed Sanu and Marvin Jones following the team’s infamous playoff loss to the Steelers. The following offseason the Bengals said goodbye to two more offensive cornerstones, Andrew Whitworth and Kevin Zietler.

Fast forward to 2021, and the Bengals fixed their first mistake. The team has dedicated over $200 million during the last two offseasons bringing in promising young talent. The additions of D.J. Reader, Chidobe Awuzie, Trey Hendrickson, Riley Reiff and more have proven beneficial to the team’s playoff hopes. Unfortunately, the front office has still not fully committed to retaining their stars.

The Bengals must re-sign Jessie Bates to continue competing in the North

Jessie Bates III, a Second-Team All-Pro safety and arguably the best defensive player on Cincinnati’s roster, has yet to receive a contract. The 24-year-old out of Wake Forest has put together four impressive seasons since being drafted in 2018.

Bates’ talent and leadership has been praised by the locker room and by the coaching staff. Joe Burrow stated, “He’s what makes the defense go.” Bates could be looking at a contract similar to that of Jamal Adams who recently became the highest-paid safety in the league. In 2020, Bates recorded the highest PFF rating in 2020 among safeties and led his team in interceptions.

The Bengals should quickly pursue Bates in the coming weeks or place a franchise tag on their star. It’s vital that the front office avoids the mistakes that contributed to their five-year playoff drought.