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Jessie Bates III stepped up when it mattered

After a stellar 2020 season and off-season contract extension talks, the expectations for Cincinnati Bengals safety Jessie Bates III were very high heading into the 2021 campaign. The play of Bates and new addition Vonn Bell in the 2020 lead to the two being in the conversation for the best safety tandem in the league, with Bates being the lead man.

As the 2021 season progressed, we really didn’t see the same Jessie Bates III we were accustomed to. There were times where there was clear miscommunication among the defensive backs that he is the leader of.