Jessie Bates

Career StatsF

Year	Team	GP	INT	PD	Tkl
Career		34	—	—	6
2025		17	0	0	4
2024		17	0	0	2
2023		1

Current Contract

Contract Value Index (CVI)

The Lions secured excellent value by bringing back Jessie Bates on a bargain-bin $1.1M deal, earning a solid B- CVI despite his current role as a depth piece. While Bates has fallen from his elite All-Pro heights with Cincinnati, locking up a proven veteran safety at near-minimum salary represents smart roster management for Detroit's championship window. At 28, he's still within his prime years and brings invaluable experience to a secondary that needed veteran leadership behind emerging talents. The one-year, $36M guaranteed structure carries zero long-term risk while giving Bates a chance to rebuild his value in a familiar defensive system. This represents the type of savvy, low-cost veteran acquisition that contending teams should prioritize — minimal financial commitment for a player who could easily outperform his depth piece projection if pressed into a larger role due to injury or performance.

Performance Analysis

Jessie Bates receives an F grade that appears to reflect a data mix-up, as his stats show kicker-like numbers (field goal percentage and points) rather than safety production for a player listed at the position. Across 34 games with Detroit and Houston, the statistical profile is unclear, and the F grade may not accurately represent his actual defensive contributions. The two consecutive 17-game seasons in Detroit suggest consistent availability, which is always valued. Without clean defensive statistics, it is difficult to provide a comprehensive assessment of Bates' contributions to the Lions' defense. The grade should be viewed with the understanding that the underlying data may not fully capture his true impact.