Arguably the top free agent on the market this offseason is safety Jessie Bates of the Cincinnati Bengals. At just 26 years old, Bates is one of the most experienced and reliable safeties on the market. Plus, he’s played in a bunch of big games over the years with the Bengals.
With the Raiders having so much effective cap space, is this a player they could potentially spend big on in free agency?
In a recent article by ESPN, they wrote about their top free agents set to hit the market next week. That list obviously included Bates, who is the best defender on the market. Here is what the site had to say about the former Bengal:
Free agency is inherently risky for teams, but Bates is one of the safer bets. He’s a pillar of reliability as a center fielder — he hauled in four picks last year — and you can count on him being available for almost every snap of every game. He played some his best football during the Cincinnati Bengals’ run to the Super Bowl two seasons ago, showing a rise-to-the-occasion mettle.
The free safety position has been a major issue for the Raiders for the last several years, but that could be solved by the addition of Bates. It would also allow Trevon Moehrig to play more in the box, which is his natural position.
While you can make a strong case that the Raiders need more help at cornerback than safety, every position on their defense needs to be upgraded. Adding a superstar like Bates would drastically improve a unit that needs big upgrades.