Today featured the Cincinnati Bengals’ last practice before their first preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The team will travel to Tampa tomorrow, and Cincinnati gave them a scorcher of a send off.
Thursday’s heat index nearly hit 110 degrees, and since there is a game to be played in 48 hours, practice featured no pads and was shortened for good reason.
But the hottest thing of the day bounced off of Jessie Bates’ microphone when he expressed clear frustration in regards to his on-going contract negotiations. His words may’ve sparked panic amongst the Bengals’ fan base, but an effortless glance at the calendar shows a full month between now and the regular season.