Bears trade fifth-round pick for Ryan Bates from Buffalo Bills

Bears trade fifth-round pick for Ryan Bates from Buffalo Bills originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago

The Bears traded a fifth-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for offensive lineman Ryan Bates, the Bears announced. The Bills were the first to announce the trade.

General manager Ryan Poles attempted to acquire Bates in free agency in 2022 as a restricted free agent. But the Bills matched the Bears’ offer sheet for Bates, returning him to the team.

Trading this year’s fifth-round pick leaves the Bears with zero Day 3 picks, as of this writing. That means they don’t have picks in one of the fifth, sixth and seventh rounds of the draft.

Per PFF, Bates gave up 28 pressures and 1 sack in 615 pass-blocking snaps in 2022. He played primarily right guard in 2022 (810 snaps) but also played 135 snaps at center. He played just 35 snaps in 2023, entirely at center.

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.

Bates, 27, has played all five seasons of his NFL career with the Bills, making 19 starts in 73 games.

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