Bear Digest

Bears Give Up Fifth-Round Pick for Ryan Bates

Guard/center Ryan Bates has been acquired by the Bears from the Buffalo Bills for a fifth-round draft pick, according to the team.
Gene Chamberlain|
Bears Give Up Fifth-Round Pick for Ryan Bates
Bears Give Up Fifth-Round Pick for Ryan Bates

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Chicago Bears

The Bears tried to get Ryan Bates in the past and apparently now they have succeeded.

The Buffalo Bills have agreed to trade the sixth-year veteran guard to the Bears for a fifth-round draft pick. The deal is pending a physical.

The 6-foot-4, 302-pound guard returned to being a substitue last year after starting all 15 games he played in during the 2022 season. He has started 19 of the 73 games he has played.

In 2022, the Bears signed Bates to an offer sheet as a restricted free agent but the Bills matched the four-year, $17 million deal and it's the amount of the deal he now has.

It's more likely Bates has been targeted for a depth piece or to challenge starter Nate Davis, who signed a three-year, $30 million deal in free agency last year.

It's also for depth at left guard because Teven Jenkins has a history of injuries. He has missed 21 out of a possible 51 games since coming into the league. He has played 11 games each of the last two seasons, his career high.

The Bears have cut veteran guard Cody Whitehair for cap purposes while guard/center Dan Feeney and guard/center Lucas Patrick are slated to enter free agency.

Bates also has center experience, which could be a benefit if the Bears are also bringing in a rookie center.

Bates only played 35 snaps on offense last year, all at center, but in 2022 had 810 plays at right guard and 135 at center. He allowed one sack that season, the only one he has given up in his career, according to Pro Football Focus statistics.

Last year Bates played behind guards Connor McGovern and O'Cyrus Torrence.

The trade leaves the Bears with only five draft pick this year, the first and ninth in Round 1, the 75th overall in Round 3 and two fourth-rounders. It's possible they'd acquire more in a trade of QB Justin Fields.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

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