Jessie Bates Having Breakout Season For Bengals
CINCINNATI — The Bengals made plenty of additions to their defense this offseason. They brought in DJ Reader, Vonn Bell, Josh Bynes and others in hopes of remaking one of the NFL's worst units.
Those players have all made significant contributions, but the best player on the Bengals' defense could be safety Jessie Bates.
The 23-year-old finished with 10 tackles (five solo) and two passes defended in Sunday's 33-25 win over the Jaguars. He tipped a ball on Jacksonville's first possession that led to a Jordan Evans interception.
Bates earned an 86.5 overall grade for his Week 4 performance according to Pro Football Focus. Based on their system, he's the highest graded safety (87.2) in the NFL (minimum 50 snaps).
"It just feels really good," Bates said after the win. "We spent a lot of time away from our families, you put a lot of stuff into this. Our bodies don’t feel good after some games, but when you’re losing it’s not worth it. It’s like, ‘Damn, you need to win.’ You play to win, and to support your family. Having that first win in the locker room, it helps our belief capacity continue to go up. We’re going to build on that."
The Bengals drafted Bates in the second-round (54th overall) in the 2018 NFL Draft. The addition of Bell has allowed defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo to use Bates in coverage, which is one of his strengths. He's a willing tackler, but his range and ball skills are two of his best attributes.
The Bengals are hoping Bates can bring stability to a unit that has struggled in recent seasons. The expectations are even higher for rookie quarterback Joe Burrow.
“He’s gonna be the face of this franchise for a very long time," Bates said of Burrow. "He’s just a gamer, man. I’m a big fan of him and he knows it. I hope everyone continues to believe in us.
"I tell him to be the leader, be the voice and don’t back down from any challenge. Same thing for him. It’s weird because he’s older than me. He’s a good guy. Like I said, he’s gonna be the face of the franchise for a long time.”
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