The Bengals face a deadline of Friday at 4 p.m. ET to reach agreement on a new contract with safety Jessie Bates. Otherwise, Bates will have to play the 2022 season under the franchise tag.
There have been no signs the sides have made any progress in talks since the Bengals tagged him March 7.
Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports contract negotiations “remain at a standstill,” with no long-term deal expected before the deadline.
“Nothing has changed,” Conway writes, citing a source.
Bates has not signed the $12.91 million tag and skipped the team’s offseason program, and a recent report indicated Bates has no intentions of playing out this year under the tag. Thus, Bates could remain at home later this month when the Bengals begin training camp.
Earlier this week, Bates tweeted for the first time since March. “Stay down. Stay grounded,” he wrote.
The Bengals drafted safety Daxton Hill and defensive back Cam Taylor-Britt in the first two rounds before adding safety Tycen Anderson at No. 166 overall.
Bates totaled at least 100 tackles three of four seasons.
In his career, Bates has 408 tackles, 35 pass deflections and 10 interceptions in 63 career games.
Chiefs offensive tackle Orlando Brown, Dolphins tight end Mike Gesicki and Cowboys tight end Dalton Schultz also could be required to play 2022 under the one-year tag. None are close to agreement on a long-term deal, per reports this week.