The 2024 campaign was a disappointing one for offensive lineman Ryan Bates.
Coveted by Bears general manager Ryan Poles, Chicago sent a 2024 fifth-round draft pick to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for his services. Prior to his getting traded, Bates had spent five seasons with the Bills, appearing in 73 games with 19 starts. The Bears had previously attempted to acquire Bates in March of 2022 by signing him to a four-year, $17 million offer sheet, which the Bills matched, retaining his services at that time.
Poles got his man a few years later, but Bates’ debut with the team was marred by injury. He wound up playing in just three games, starting two.
In his March 19 Q&A column, insider Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune was asked about Bates’ future now that Chicago has revamped its offensive line.
“A couple of readers asked about how Bates fits into the puzzle, and we’ll have to see,” Biggs wrote. “Right now he looks like the backup to the three interior positions. But that’s a position he will have to earn, and if the Bears add a mid-round draft pick, he could have competition in training camp.”
Ryan Bates’ Future: Ryan Poles, Bears Will Want Him ‘In the Mix’
Bates has one more year left on the $17 million contract he initially signed with the Bills, which extends through 2025. This coming season, he’s set to earn a base salary of $3.4 million, along with a $500,000 roster bonus and a $100,000 workout bonus, culminating in a cap hit of $4 million.
Considering their investment in him coupled with his injury-filled 2024 campaign, Biggs believes Bates will get the opportunity to compete.
“The impression I get is the Bears, at minimum, want to see Bates in the mix as a reserve this summer. He earned a $500,000 roster bonus on the third day of the league year, and if the team was looking to create a little cap savings and save on some cash, it would have released him before that” Biggs noted, also adding:
“The $500,000 roster bonus doesn’t lock down a spot for Bates, but it is evidence the team wants to have him in the pool of options. Physically, Bates should be in a much better position than he was last summer, and if that remains the case, he could offer some value as a backup with experience.”
Still, there will be competition, and if the injury bug bites him again, he could be in trouble.
Bears Still Adding Talent to Offensive Line
The 2024 season had to have been difficult for Bates. He was placed on injured reserve on September 14 due to undisclosed injuries. He was activated on November 9, but the offensive line struggled with continuity, leading to the Bears allowing the highest sack percentage in the league for the third time in four years.
Looking ahead, the Bears have been proactive in addressing their offensive line issues, and the draft will likely bring more talent to the table. As of publication, Bates is currently listed as a backup right guard behind Jonah Jackson on ESPN’s Bears depth chart. We’ll see if that changes at all.
With Jackson, Drew Dalman, Darnell Wright, Braxton Jones and Kiran Amegadjie the team’s only O-linemen under contract through 2025, Chicago is expected to add additional talent through the draft and free agency.
The draft in particular should provide the Bears with the opportunity to add more depth and competition on OL. How that might affect Bates will be interesting.
