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Is Jessie Bates III the key to the Bengals Secondary?

By Damian Parson

Jessie Bates #30 of the Cincinnati Bengals returns an interception for a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Paul Brown Stadium on October 28, 2018 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Jessie Bates #30 of the Cincinnati Bengals returns an interception for a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Paul Brown Stadium on October 28, 2018 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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As a rookie, Jessie Bates III had an outstanding season and earned a 79.9 PFF grade. Bates’s performance landed him on the 2018 NFL All-Rookie team. Can he follow up with an even better sophomore season?

It is a luxury for a team to possess an all-around safety behind the rest of the defense. For the Bengals, Bates has the ability to be a chess piece defender as he gains more NFL experience  The sophomore defender is skilled as a man, zone, and deep cover safety.

By the numbers

Bates is one of the more versatile safeties in the NFL. As a rookie, The former Demon Deacon ranked fourth in the league in tackles amongst defensive backs with 111 combined.  Despite the number of tackles, he is not a typical box safety.

He also finished his rookie campaign with three interceptions, one defensive touchdown, and ten passes defended. His coverage abilities were stellar. He allowed  a stat line  of 23-39 370 yards, 59% completion, no touchdowns and a QBR of 58.7 when thrown at. Quarterbacks were not too successful when targeting the Bengals rookie. Additionally, Bates finished last season with 1,114 snaps played, the most of the entire safety group.

By the film

Clip 1: Bates is lined up in a two-deep look initially before creeping closer to the line of scrimmage. He disguises his intentions well before shadowing tight end Vance Mcdonald in man coverage and earning a pass break up

Clip 2: Similar to the first clip, Bates shows a two-high deep coverage. Instead of dropping back, he sits as a robber and makes an incredible break on the pass from Jameis Winston. His instincts and ball skills result in a defensive touchdown.

Clip 3: Here, Bates shows the same alignment as the previous clips before dropping back into coverage. He diagnoses where Ryan Tannehill wants to go with the ball and undercuts the  underthrown pass for an interception. All video clips are courtesy of nfl.com

The Bengals secondary needs Bates to take another step in his progression this coming year. He can help alter field position & make crucial third down stops. No matter where he is lined up, Bates is an impact player and someone to watch closely during the 2019 season.

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