It’s no secret Cincinnati Bengals players didn’t like the fact that franchise-tagged safety Jessie Bates didn’t get a long-term deal with the team before the July 15 deadline.
But how did fans and others react to the news?
As with most things, the reaction was largely split. Some fans were just fine with the development, largely citing the fact the rest of the roster is strong and the team needs to save cap resources for big names like Tee Higgins.
Others…not so much. For some fans, the move was concerning because the team wouldn’t change how it does contracts for a near-All-Pro player. For some outsiders, it was just the Bengals being the Bengals.
Here are some of the most notable reactions.