The Buffalo Bills have made a decision on Ryan Bates.
The offensive lineman is back.
On Monday from the NFL owners meetings, Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane confirmed the Bills matched the offer sheet the Chicago Bears sent him. Reportedly Bates signed a four-year deal with the Bears, which he’ll now get from the Bills.
The 25-year-old had been reportedly speaking to at least three other NFL teams in recent weeks.
Chicago was one of them, and last week, the Bears signed Bates to an offer sheet.
As a restricted free agent, Buffalo placed a $2.4 million tender on Bates.
That allows him to go speak with other teams as a free agent, however, the Bills will then have the opportunity to match any deal he signs. That’s what happened with the Bears.
Bates, 25, has been a key depth piece along Buffalo’s offense line for a few years since being acquired via trade with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2019. That deal originally mostly had to do with his versatility to play every position on the offensive line, something the Bills still covet.
In 2021, Bates finally got his first dose of starting time.
In Week 15, he began starting at left guard for Buffalo. Even when former starter Jon Feliciano returned to full health, Bates still held onto the job into the playoffs.
As free agency opened, the Bills signed Pro Bowl offensive lineman Rodger Saffold, who went on to indicate he’s slated to start at left guard in Buffalo.
Despite that, both Saffold and Bates have the versatility to kick over to the right side of of the offensive line. Out of the gate this summer, it appears Bates and Saffold will be the favorites to start on Buffalo’s O-line in 2022.
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