3 Super Bowl free agents Commanders should consider signing

2. Jessie Bates

With Landon Collins no longer a full-time safety and Bobby McCain a pending free agent, the Commanders will be shopping for safeties this offseason. Kamren Curl is good, but having just put a bow on his second season in the NFL, it’d be quite the gamble pairing him with a potential draft pick.

While re-signing McCain is reportedly in the cards, Jessie Bates is the best safety on the market this side of Saints stud Marcus Williams. He looked to sign an extension last offseason, but negotiations fell through and the Bengals instead chose to extend Sam Hubbard, who they drafted 23 picks after Bates in 2018.

The toll that took on him mentally is open for interpretation, but it doesn’t feel like a coincidence he endured the worst season of his career in 2021. His 65.4 PFF grade ranked 43rd out of 95 safeties and his 53.8 coverage grade was a steep decline compared to his picturesque 90.1 (!) coverage grade in 2020.

Despite that, it’s highly doubtful the Bengals let Bates walk. He’s a prime franchise tag candidate and it’s likely extension negotiations will resume. Should he shake free, though, the Commanders should absolutely give him a call.

Bates’ down 2021 might be red flag for some fans, but the bottom line is he’ll turn just 25 later this month, is a four-year starter, and has both playoff experience and a track record of playing at a high level in his career.

What’s not to like? A one or two-year deal worth $10-12 million would be a reasonable price to pay for the Wake Forest talent.