Jessie Bates ends franchise tag holdout, returns to Bengals

Jessie Bates is back in the building.

[mm-video type=video id=01g8xq9xg2v53xm113zz playlist_id=none player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g8xq9xg2v53xm113zz/01g8xq9xg2v53xm113zz-3ec0f433478cb46a844a339f334ef3d7.jpg]

Cincinnati Bengals star safety Jessie Bates has reported to training camp and will sign his franchise tag.

The Cincinnati Enquirer’s Kelsey Conway reported that Bates is indeed in the building before the team starts joint practices with the Los Angeles Rams this week.

It was only a matter of time before Bates showed up and signed before playing during the regular season under the current collective bargaining agreement.

Bates and the Bengals didn’t agree to an extension before the July 15 deadline so he has to play the season on the $12.9 million tag. Since he hadn’t signed, he wasn’t subjected to any fines during the brief holdout.

In the interim, first-rounder Dax Hill soaked up all of the first-team reps, with Bates reaching out to help the rookie.

[pickup_prop id=”27098″]

[listicle id=151762]