Ryan Bates To Injured Reserve, Nate Davis Steps In As Right Guard
The Bears have announced that offensive lineman Ryan Bates (shoulder/elbow) has been placed on IR and will be eligible to return for their Week 6 game in London against the Jacksonville Jaguars. In Bates' absence, Nate Davis will take over as the starting right guard, as confirmed by Coach Matt Eberflus. Davis will start in this role for Sunday's game against the Texans. Bates had played 68 percent of the Bears' offensive snaps in Week 1 against the Titans, filling in for Davis, who originally started at right guard. Although Davis may have a higher potential, his performance on Sunday revealed a lower floor that could lead to significant issues. Bates' roster spot will be filled by long snapper Scott Daly. The Bears' interior offensive line struggled last week against the Titans, and adding another injury to the mix is a setback for quarterback Caleb Williams and running back D'Andre Swift.
The Chicago Bears acquired offensive lineman Ryan Bates from the Buffalo Bills on Monday in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the upcoming 2024 NFL draft in April. The trade will become official on March 13, pending a physical. Bates played in all 17 regular-season games last year in his fifth year in Buffalo but didn't start any contests while serving as offensive-line depth. The former Penn State Nittany Lion will now head to the Windy City, where he'll most likely serve as more offensive-line depth for the Bears in 2024. The 27-year-old has appeared in 73 regular-season games (19 starts) in his five years in the NFL to this point, all with the Bills.
The Buffalo Bills will match the restricted free-agent offer sheet for offensive tackle Ryan Bates, according to general manager Brandon Beane. Bates will receive a four-year deal from Buffalo. The 25-year-old signed an offer sheet from the Chicago Bears last week, but the Bills decided to match the offer in order to keep him around in 2022 and beyond. Bates has considerable upside for Buffalo's offensive line, but he's made only four starts in 41 games in his three seasons with the Bills.
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