On Monday night, it was announced that Cincinnati Bengals safety Jessie Bates won’t show up for the start of training camp. On Tuesday morning, that report was confirmed.
Per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Bates didn’t report to training camp.
Bates received the franchise tag earlier this offseason. However, he hasn’t signed his $12.9 million tender yet.
Since his tender is unsigned, Bates isn’t subject to fines for his absence. That means his holdout could last for a while.
The Bengals reportedly offered Bates a long-term extension, but it didn’t meet the star safety’s asking price.
“For the Bengals and star S Jessie Bates: The team’s final offer guaranteed Bates only $4M more than what he would get if he eventually signs the franchise tag. Big difference is the tag locks Bates in for one year while the Bengals’ offer locked him in for 5 additional years,” Ian Rapoport reported on July 15.
Last season, Bates had 88 tackles, four passes defended, an interception and a fumble recovery.
It could be a while before Bengals fans see Bates back on the field.