Jessie Bates is the most important player for the Cincinnati Bengals

Jessie Bates is one of the best safeties in the NFL and has quietly anchored the Cincinnati Bengals’ secondary

The third-year product was able to jump into the starting lineup as a rookie for the Bengals, and he has never looked back. He has been an anchor in proper tackling technique for Cincinnati, gaining at least 100 combined tackles in each season. What sticks out with Jessie Bates, however, is his ability to make the big play when it matters most.

Bates has recorded three interceptions in each season he has played, but that only tells part of his explosive playmaking ability. Bates has a tremendous ability to break up passes and force receivers to drop the ball. His knack for poking the ball free and causing an incompletion is why Cincinnati has relied on him in both man-to-man and zone coverage situations.

The other spectacular thing about Jessie Bates is his ability to cover the entire field. No matter where he is defending, if a deep ball is thrown, he has the speed and intelligence to cover any distance and be a factor on the play. This allows Cincinnati to disguise their coverages well and place Bates all over the field and force the hand of their opponents.