The Bears plan to sign Bills restricted free agent guard Ryan Bates to an offer sheet, the Sun-Times has confirmed. The Bills will have five days to match it or allow Bates to sign with the Bears.
The 6-4, 302-pound Bates would be the third offensive lineman Bears general manager Ryan Poles has signed in free agency. Previously, he signed Packers center Lucas Patrick to a two-year, $8 million contract and Vikings guard Dakota Dozier to a one-year contract.
Bates, 25, would likely get first shot at a starting guard position — and a good early test of Poles’ ability to project offensive linemen. A former undrafted free agent out of Penn State, Bates had primarily been a back-up in three NFL seasons before starting the Bills’ final five games last season.
He started at right guard in Week 15 when Cody Ford went on the reserve/COVID-19 list and left guard in Week 16 after starter Ike Boetgger injured his Achilles. Bates played well enough that he kept the job when injured veteran Jon Felicano returned late in the season — with Bates starting both of the Bills’ playoff games.
Though his five starts at the end of last season are a small sample-size, the Bears know Bates well. Bears assistant general manager Ian Cunningham was the Eagles’ assistant director of player personnel in 2019, when they signed Bates as an undrafted free agent.
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