Former Cincinnati Bengals safety Jessie Bates III has agreed to a contract with the Atlanta Falcons, NFL Network reported on Monday. It’s a four-year deal with a roughly $16 million average annual salary.
Bates is the second defensive back Cincinnati has lost to free agency, as safety Vonn Bell inked a deal with the Carolina Panthers. The two defensive backs were among the 20 Bengals players on the open market.
Bates has quietly been one the best safeties in the league for three years running. He had a career-high four interceptions this season and has topped 100 tackles in three of his five seasons in the league. Spotrac has his market value listed at $15 million per year, which is a slight bump from his previous $12 million salary. Bates was already given the franchise tag last season. The Bengals won’t place it on him again, which means he should be highly sought-after by multiple terms.
The 25-year-old Bates and had a career-high four interceptions this year and has topped 100 tackles in three of his five seasons in the league. He earned PFWA All-Rookie Team honors in 2018.
The Bengals selected Bates in the second round in the 2018 draft out of Wake Forest.
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