Tag: Ryan Bates

Bears stressed flexibility along interior offensive line this offseason

Bears GM Ryan Poles said the lack of flexibility along the interior offensive line was something that bothered him for a long time.

The Chicago Bears have been busy shoring up important needs on offense for incoming rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, which included the additions of wide receiver Keenan Allen, running back D’Andre Swift and tight end Gerald Everett.

General manager Ryan Poles said the lack of flexibility along the interior offensive line was something that bothered him for a long time. Which is why Chicago also made a couple of swings along the offensive interior this offseason.

The Bears traded a fifth-round pick to the Buffalo Bills for Ryan Bates, who Poles signed to an offer sheet in 2022 before Buffalo matched it. Bates, who served primarily as a guard, also has experience at center giving Poles that versatility he desired.

“With Bates coming in, I feel like we’ve created some depth there and versatility,” Poles said, via The Athletic. “It’s something that’s really bothered me for a long time, just in terms of the lack of flexibility we’ve had in the past, it stresses you out from week to week. I feel like we have more versatility now and competition.”

That competition involves fellow newcomer Coleman Shelton, who was signed during free agency to battle for the starting center job.

While there are questions along the entire interior — as Teven Jenkins has yet to play an entire season and Nate Davis’ first-year struggles in Chicago — center was the one glaring hole. And, until the Bears get production from the position, it will continue to be the biggest concern.

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How trade for Ryan Bates impacts Bears’ salary cap in 2024

The Bears have agreed to terms with the Bills to acquire OL Ryan Bates. Here’s how it impacts the Bears’ salary cap in 2024.

The Chicago Bears have agreed to terms with the Buffalo Bills to acquire offensive lineman Ryan Bates in exchange for a 2024 fifth-round selection. The trade won’t be official until the start of the new league year and pending a physical.

The addition of Bates adds depth along the interior offensive line. Bates, who’s appeared in 73 games with 19 starts, has experience playing right guard and center — most of that coming at guard.

But how does the Bates’ acquisition impact the Bears’ salary cap in 2024?

Chicago signed Bates to an offer sheet back in March 2022, but Buffalo matched it giving him a four-year, $17 million deal with $8.85 million in guarantees.

According to Over the Cap, Bates’ remaining contract is two years for $8 million. Bates is slated to have salary cap hit of $4 million both in 2024 and 2025.

Chicago is sitting in a prime position this offseason with the salary cap. They’re slated to have roughly $75 million, fourth most in the league, to shore up different roster needs in free agency — and perhaps even re-sign some of their own.

Updated look at Bears’ 2024 draft picks after Ryan Bates trade

The Bears now have five draft picks in the 2024 NFL draft after the Ryan Bates trade. Here’s an updated look at Chicago’s selections:

The Chicago Bears agreed to terms with the Buffalo Bills to acquire offensive lineman Ryan Bates. The trade won’t be official until the start of the new league year on March 13 at 3 p.m. CT.

The Bears sent a 2024 fifth-round pick to the Bills for Bates, as general manager Ryan Poles finally landed his guy. Chicago signed Bates to an offer sheet back in March 2022, when he was a restricted free agent, but Buffalo matched giving Bates a four-year, $17 million contract.

But how does the move impact the Bears’ draft picks?

After dealing their second-rounder to Washington, Chicago now has five draft selections in the 2024 NFL draft, including two top-10 picks.

Here’s an updated look at the Bears’ 2024 draft picks, per Tankathon:

  • No. 1 overall (from Panthers) (first round)
  • No. 9 overall (first round)
  • No. 75 overall (third round)
  • No. 111 (fourth round)
  • No. 123 (from Eagles) (fourth round)

Center was a huge need for this roster with Lucas Patrick and Dan Feeney hitting free agency. The Bears were expected to add a veteran center in free agency, and they very well still might. He has versatility playing right guard and center, although most of his experience comes at guard.

Bills trade Ryan Bates to Bears for fifth-round pick

The #Bills make a trade:

The Buffalo Bills continue their offseason transactions as the team has traded offensive lineman Ryan Bates to the Chicago Bears.

Bates, 27, has fetched the Bills a fifth-round draft pick in the upcoming 2024 NFL draft:

Bates has had an interesting position on Buffalo’s interior offensive line the past two seasons.

The Bills matched an offer sheet the Bears signed Bates to in 2022. At the time, he was an important piece on the offensive line. Fast forward to now and he’s no longer a starter for the team.

Not only that, Buffalo had an extremely healthy offensive line in 2023 and they played well. Pro Football Focus named the Bills offensive line the sixth-best in the NFL this past season.

Following the end of Buffalo’s 2023 season, Bates stated he wanted to stick around with the Bills.

“I don’t want to go anywhere else,” Bates said. “I want to stay here. I don’t keep that a secret.”

But what made keeping Bates around difficult was a $5.5 million cap hit. Following the move to Chicago, Bates’ departure will only save Buffalo $1.4M in 2024 because of dead cap hits, but it’s better than nothing for a team that is still approximately $35M over next year’s cap.

Reaction to the Bates trade can be found below:

Bears agree to terms on trade for Bills OL Ryan Bates

The Bears have bolstered their offensive line in agreeing to terms on a trade for Bills OL Ryan Bates.

The Chicago Bears have agreed to terms on a trade with the Buffalo Bills to acquire offensive lineman Ryan Bates, the team announced Monday.

Chicago is sending a 2024 fifth-round pick to Buffalo in exchange.

The Bears signed Bates to an offer sheet back in March 2022 when he was a restricted free agent, but the Bills matched giving Bates a four-year, $17 million contract. Now, general manager Ryan Poles gets his guy.

Bates, 27, has appeared in 73 games, including 19 starts, in five seasons with the Bills. Bates appeared in 17 regular-season games in 2023, but he didn’t have any starts. He played just 35 offensive snaps, all coming at center.

During the 2022 season, Bates started all 15 regular-season games he appeared in, playing 947 snaps, primarily at right guard (810) and some at center (137).

The addition of Bates addresses a gaping hole at center with Lucas Patrick and Dan Feeney hitting free agency.

The trade will not be official until the start of the new league year on March 13 at 3 p.m. CT and until Bates passes a physical.

Ryan Bates hopeful to stay with Bills and earn his spot

Ryan Bates hopeful to stay with #Bills and earn his spot:

Ryan Bates is under contract with the Buffalo Bills for the 2024 season but he could be on the outside looking in.

The Bills matched an offer sheet the Chicago Bears signed Bates to in 2022. At the time, he was an important piece on the offensive line. Fast forward to now and he’s no longer a starter for the team.

Not only that, Buffalo had an extremely healthy offensive line in 2023 and they played well. Pro Football Focus named the Bills offensive line the sixth-best in the NFL this past season.

Despite all that, Bates is hopeful it works out for him in Buffalo still.

“I don’t want to go anywhere else,” said Bates told the Buffalo News. “I want to stay here. I don’t keep that a secret.”

Bates’ comments are expected since he is still under contract. However, his $5.5 million cap hit as a backup,espeically for a team that’s $40M over next year’s salary cap, is a hefty price to pay someone on the bench.

But could Buffalo re-work his deal and keep him in western New York? That’s a storyline to watch for this offseason.

At the time the Bills re-signed him, McDermott noted how important Bates as been to the team… both as a starter and backup.

“Ryan is a really good player and a really good person. He’s meant a lot to our football team, whether he was in a backup role or a starting role–He’s been a valuable piece to our team,” McDermott said in March 2022.

Bills Wire will provide coverage of all things Bills free agency throughout the offseason.

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Every Penn State player in the NFL playoffs in 2024

Here is every former Penn State football player on an NFL playoff team’s roster in 2024.

Another NFL postseason is set to get underway, and there is a good chance at least one team playing in the Super Bowl will have a Penn State player on the roster. All but two teams in this year’s NFL playoffs have at least one Penn State player on the roster this year. The top seeds in each conference have multiple Penn State players on the roster, seemingly making it more likely Penn State will see a former player earn a Super Bowl ring.

In all, a total of 64 Super Bowl rings have been won by a former Penn State player. Last year’s Super Bowl had just one former Penn State player on the field, but Miles Sanders and the Philadelphia Eagles came up short of winning the big game. There is an excellent chance there will be more than one former Nittany Lion competing in the Super Bowl this postseason.

The Los Angeles Rams and Cleveland Browns are the only two teams in the NFL postseason without a Penn State player on the roster. Here is a look at every Penn State player on an NFL playoff team’s roster this postseason.

WATCH: Bills players answer which teammates they’d let watch their dog

Who is your pick?

Pets and dogs are like family.

Teammates are like family.

Which of your teammates… or Buffalo Bills players, would let watch your best furry friend?

The Bills locker room, including the likes of Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs, Terrel Bernard, and more, answered exactly that.

Check out their answers in the Bills feature below:

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Bills restructure contracts of Taron Johnson, Ryan Bates

#Bills restructure contracts of Taron Johnson, Ryan Bates:

Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane got to work restructuring a few contracts before the start of the 2023 regular season.

According to ESPN’s Field Yates, cornerback Taron Johnson and offensive lineman Ryan Bates have restructured their deals with the Bills.

In changing the contracts, Beane has dusted off his usual measure by converting base salary into a signing bonus which frees up salary cap space.

Per Spotrac, Johnson’s deal had $3.93 million of his 2023 salary into a signing bonus. He also had a void year added to the end of his contract in 2024. Johnson, 27, signed a three-year extension during the 2021 season.

Bates had his $2.82M 2023 salary converted into a signing bonus. In April 2022, Bates signed a new contract in Buffalo when the Bills matched an offer he received by the Chicago Bears.

In total, the two moves create $4.5M in salary cap space for the Bills. However, the team was approximately $1.3M over the cap prior to the news, which means Beane was aiming to get under the salary cap with the restructures, not create more space to make another addition.

Bills Wire will continue to bring all roster updates throughout the 2023 season.

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WATCH: Buffalo Bills players finish Luke Combs lyrics

WATCH: #Bills players finish Luke Combs lyrics:

For the most part, western New Yorkers won’t be wishing Bills players would quit their day jobs. A select few certainly should not do so to start a music career.

Country music star Luke Combs is bringing his tour to Highmark Stadium. With that announcement, the Bills put a few players including Dawson Knox and rookie Dorian Williams through a challenge.

They were to guess some of Combs’ lyrics… and eventually signing broke out. Perhaps not the best kind, but it happened.

Check out how that went down in the clip below:

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