5 Bengals who could make their first Pro Bowl in 2021 season

Bengals who could make their first Pro Bowl – No. 2: Jessie Bates

Bengals fans weren’t really all that upset about no one on their team making the Pro Bowl last year but Jessie Bates getting snuffed was ridiculous. Bates is easily one of the best in the league at his position and it felt like he was left off the Pro Bowl roster last year due to playing for a not-as-popular team.

Bates has a great chance to make it this year. He’s quietly become one of the best safeties in the league and the Bengals need to sign him to an extension before the start of the season. The risk of losing Bates in free agency isn’t something Bengals fans want to go through.

The problem with Bates’ chances of making it to the Pro Bowl is the lack of safeties who make it onto the roster and the fact that Justin Simmons, arguably the best safety in the AFC, pretty much has a spot locked up on his name alone.

Bates is someone who should be able to make it this year though with an impressive season. The problem is that Cincinnati only has one primetime game and that makes it hard for Bates, who’s already a lesser-known player to casual NFL fans, to book his first trip to the Pro Bowl. Hopefully, he can power through and punch his ticket.