Bates traded to Bears

[YardRat]

For a fifth this year.

[tomz]

What does this do cap-wise?

[Woodman]

The trade will become official March 13, pending a physical.

The Bears signed Bates, then a restricted free agent, to an offer sheet in 2022, but Buffalo matched it.

Bates spent five seasons in Buffalo, appearing in 73 games and making 19 starts. In 2023, he played 17 games but did not make a start.

The Bills now have 10 picks in the 2024 draft.

[Woodman]

Bates has two more years on his current contract, which pegs the Bears with a $5.4 million cap hit annually over the next two seasons, according to Spotrac (https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/buffalo-bills/ryan-bates-29527/#:~:text=2022%2D2022,dead%20cap%20value%20of%20%244%2C006%2C000).
Bates, 27, has played all five seasons of his NFL career with the Bills, making 19 starts in 73 games.

[YardRat]

I think it saves about $1.4mil, still a $4mil dead cap hit.

[DraftBoy]

Gives us something for somebody who could have ended up cut to save money.

[Woodman]

I think it saves about $1.4mil, still a $4mil dead cap hit.

According to Joe Buscaglia (https://twitter.com/JoeBuscaglia/status/1764838561445003331) of The Athletic, the Bills cleared about $1.4 million in cap space by sending Bates to Chicago. It’s not significant space in terms of the salary cap, but Buffalo has some young players currently on their roster who could ultimately take Bates’ spot on a lower contract.

[Turf]

10 draft picks. A ton of capital to move up.

[TheConsigliere]

Hooray!!!

Bates was NEVER going to be a starting offensive lineman on a contending NFL team.

[DraftBoy]

According to Joe Buscaglia (https://twitter.com/JoeBuscaglia/status/1764838561445003331) of The Athletic, the Bills cleared about $1.4 million in cap space by sending Bates to Chicago. It’s not significant space in terms of the salary cap, but Buffalo has some young players currently on their roster who could ultimately take Bates’ spot on a lower contract.

Literally who is Joe B even talking about? We don’t have any young interior OL on the roster outside of Torrence who Bates we already behind on the depth chart. The other young OL are all tackles.

[TheConsigliere]

Anti-OL Posters here will need to stay calm because the Bills are drafting 2 OL this year in their first 3 picks -- Centre and OT (NOT necessarily in that order).

[DetoxTent]

Anti-OL Posters here will need to stay calm because the Bills are drafting 2 OL this year in their first 3 picks -- Centre and OT (NOT necessarily in that order).

And the Bruins are going to win the cup. :assclown:

[Ginger Vitis]

Literally who is Joe B even talking about?

Alec Anderson

[Forward_Lateral]

I think this almost ensures they draft a C

[DetoxTent]

Literally who is Joe B even talking about? We don’t have any young interior OL on the roster outside of Torrence who Bates we already behind on the depth chart. The other young OL are all tackles.

Another self-proclaimed know-it-all. And what do you think Beane's going to do with the draft pick? Replace him for cheaper?


The team also has Alec Anderson on the roster, a 24-year old who is very similar to Bates as far as versatility, and will cost less than $1 million in 2024.

LINK (https://www.audacy.com/wgr550/sports/bills/bills-trade-ryan-bates-to-bears)

[TacklingDummy]

Dawkins 29
Brown 26
McGovern 26
Cyrus 24
Anderson 24
Edwards 26
Van Demark 24
Morse 31

I don't consider this a old bunch.

[Woodman]

10 draft picks. A ton of capital to move up.

Soon to be 11

Right now our picks are the following .... before comp pick.





Round 1, Pick 28
Round 2, Pick 60
Round 4, Pick 129
Round 5, Pick 142 (from CHI)
Round 5, Pick 159 (from GB)
Round 5, Pick 162
Round 6, Pick 198 (from LAR)
Round 6, Pick 202 (from HOU)
Round 6, Pick 206
Round 7, Pick 246

[Bill Cody]

Is there a "kick God" we can draft in the 6th round? Yardrat is already calling him a wasted pick

[Novacane]

Guess that pretty much assures Morse is not going to be a cap casualty.

[OpIv37]

Imagine either using the #1 overall pick on Caleb Williams, or giving Justin Fields $40 million a year, only to have Ryan Bates protecting him. Good luck with that one

[Mad Max]

Anti-OL Posters here will need to stay calm because the Bills are drafting 2 OL this year in their first 3 picks -- Centre and OT (NOT necessarily in that order).
I’ll bet you a big plate of lobster fra diavolo and a bottle of your favorite massetto that we don’t paisan.

OL are getting drafted, but two in the first 3 rounds is not going to happen.

[Mad Max]

Imagine either using the #1 overall pick on Caleb Williams, or giving Justin Fields $40 million a year, only to have Ryan Bates protecting him. Good luck with that one

The Bears, you had to get me started!

They have an opportunity to set themselves up for massive success but are going to blow it by taking Caleb Williams. That guy smells very pungently of bust.

Ryan Bates effectiveness or lack thereof won’t change that.

[OpIv37]

The Bears, you had to get me started!

They have an opportunity to set themselves up for massive success but are going to blow it by taking Caleb Williams. That guy smells very pungently of bust.

Ryan Bates effectiveness or lack thereof won’t change that.

I have a childhood friend who’s a Bears fan (not sure why because his family’s from Alabama and he moved to Rochester in 8th grade, but I digress….).

He stopped watching football maybe 8 years ago or so. He said he got tired of the greed and commercialism of the NFL. I think he just got sick of the Bears organization being a steaming pile of garbage.

[Typ0]

I'm glad I got to see the 85 Bears they are totally an anomaly!

[Mad Max]

I have a childhood friend who’s a Bears fan (not sure why because his family’s from Alabama and he moved to Rochester in 8th grade, but I digress….).

He stopped watching football maybe 8 years ago or so. He said he got tired of the greed and commercialism of the NFL. I think he just got sick of the Bears organization being a steaming pile of garbage.

They are terrible. They just somehow escape the criticism that other bad teams get probably because of the “NFL founding team” legacy.

[sahlensguy]

Bears and win now mode?

[notacon]

The Bears really wanted him. Tried to sign him two years ago, and the Bills matched their offer and retained him because he was a restricted FA at that time.

He will be missed for depth purposes. Those celebrating him leaving are short sighted as he was a capable back-up all across the O-line and is extremely capable of being a starting center. He is the leading candidate to be just that for Chicago....and he will probably perform quite well.

With Mitch Morse the stalwart at C, the $5.439M cap hit for the next two years are too rich for the Bills for a backup.

This is a cap causality. Good that Beane was able to get a 5th round pick. Two years ago, they would have gotten nothing for him.

[Mace]

Never saw anything wrong with Bates...he played great at lg...so they promptly moved him to rg and signed overpriced vet guy who flopped, he gave up 2 sacks next to the struggling Brown and went back into the glass case. Should have left him at lg and signed a vet rg at the time. He clearly wasn't going to replace Morse...but he did fine at center when he played there. Had he continued to succeed at lg, they'd not have needed McGovern and would still have gotten Torrence, and wouldn't have needed Saffold besides.

My best to him and hope Morse stays healthy.

[Bill Cody]

They are terrible. They just somehow escape the criticism that other bad teams get probably because of the “NFL founding team” legacy.

Their issue has always been the same since I've been alive- no QB. I'm a little too young for Sid Luckman and Bobby Layne lol. The only time the Bears had a decent QB (decent not great) Jim McMahon they won the SB. They're going to draft Caleb Williams. Only makes sense to do what they can to keep him safe.

[Woodman]

I'm glad I got to see the 85 Bears they are totally an anomaly!

true monsters of the midway .... as it was meant to be when your talking Dah Bears.

[Bill Cody]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIbNb1RZzlU

Ditka was entertaining

[Mad Max]

true monsters of the midway .... as it was meant to be when your talking Dah Bears.

They were fun to watch.

They told you they were gonna kick your azs and then proceeded to do so.

They used to give William “The Refrigerator” Perry a big old DT the ball sometimes on goal line…I don’t know if he ever did NOT get in lol.

Pats used to use DL players on O as well. Not sure why more teams don’t try. I’d love to see Ed Oliver get a shot running it in on goal line for example.

[Forward_Lateral]

Anti-OL Posters here will need to stay calm because the Bills are drafting 2 OL this year in their first 3 picks -- Centre and OT (NOT necessarily in that order).

I'll bet you an all expenses paid visit to Ticat's bunker that this is not going to happen.

[Jeff1220]

The cap hit savings is minimal this year, but from my extremely novice understanding of the cap, trading Bates will save the Bills over $5million in each of the next two years. Considering how the team seems to be up against the cap every year, this could've been a move with the future cap in mind moreso than 2024. Can any cap gurus confirm?

[Forward_Lateral]

The cap hit savings is minimal this year, but from my extremely novice understanding of the cap, trading Bates will save the Bills over $5million in each of the next two years. Considering how the team seems to be up against the cap every year, this could've been a move with the future cap in mind moreso than 2024. Can any cap gurus confirm?

It's basically saying they think Alec Andersen who makes roughly 1 million, and is an ERFA after this year, can do just as good, if not better of a job than Bates, who makes 5 million this year and next. They eat 4 million against the cap this year, but get a 5th round pick out of it. If they had waited until after June to cut him, they'd have saved most of that 4 million, but get nothing in return.

[Ginger Vitis]

David Edward's is back.. $6 million for 2 years..... backup guard spot taken care of.. alec anderson.. and almost a dozen draft picks