Ryan Bates is a Bear

[RacerX]

An interesting question is going around Twitter.

We have all these supposed media experts flooding social media talking about how Caleb Williams to the Bears is a foregone conclusion, a done deal, Etc.

And you have a certain segment of fans defending these media types as insiders and beat reporters who would know more than anyone else.

So the interesting question to ponder is simply this:

If these Media Insiders are really that much in the know, why didn't they see the trade for Ryan Bates coming? And the best they can offer is that they didn't deem it important after the fact, when this is a guy who likely will be the Bears starting center on game one?

Idiot

 

[Sculpt]

Makes no sense at all to me for the bears to move the more expensive player to back up. Davis before last year was a solid player, iirc last year stands more as an outlier than the norm.

Davis is lauded for his versatility and makes most sense in a back up role to any of the interior lineman.

That's true, he did well previous years, but maybe he's done. I wouldn't plan on starting him.

Bears are in Win Now mode. Davis isn't good enough to start (52 PFF), no matter how much he makes ($11 cap).

Jenkins is very injury prone... Davis, unfortunately, would likely start for him eventually.

I wouldn't subject CW to playing behind Davis. Our Tackles are average at best, but Poles likely won't replace them. Center is set. Sign a good starting G. Draft a G. Call it a day = )

 

[IBleedBearsBlood]

If Bates had much of a chance he wouldn't have been on the Eagles practice squad or UDFA.



Sort of. Whitehair wasn't always a bad OG and if he wasn't an instant starter I don't remember him going through the practice squad first. Whitehair was also drafted, he didn't make it through 32 teams 7 times.
Could work but don't get your hopes up.
But he should fill the role Whitehair should've had more recently. And probably do it better.



That's been a done deal.
That was paraphrasing what Poles said about Whitehair last year before the draft so he could ignore the position in the deep draft and make his HC happy.
We should have a real starting center drafted in '23 already.



After one of the many NFL rule changes that were seemingly directed at making the Bears worse.
Before that he was fine.

He’s a hall of famer for sure already…

 

[dabears70]

Although Bates is still young at 27, he's Bills backup C/G. They must have other good backups too. Might as well reset the clock with a new 5th rounder on the roster, maybe at another position.


He does. Made an offer Bills matched couple yrs ago.


A starting G, I hope. Bates had a 78.8 PFF, plays C/G, 27 yrs old. This is the new starting C.

If I was Poles, I'd...

1. Sign starting FA Right Guard
2. Have Nate Davis backup Tevin Jenkins - Davis isn't good enough to start. Maybe even have Davis play some series to ext Jenkins life.
3. Draft a Guard prospect

Bears have a contract-out after 2024 for Davis. If he sucks again, as I expect he will, Bears cut Davis. Bears should take a draft shot at Guard this year. Jenkins is a FA in 2025. His legs could just fall off this year.

I'd start Bates at C before i would sign a starting G in free agency to bench N.Davis who has proven he can be a good starting RG in the NFL and just went through a lot of stuff last year from personally to injury issues.

 

[Nelly]

I think it is more realistic that Bates will come in the starter at C and then Poles drafts one in the 3rd.

I sure hope not. It would mean Poles hasn't learned anything with the Lucas Patrick experiment. He needs to bring in another starter level talent on the interior to help out Caleb Williams. Bates is a great backup for all 3 interior positions.

 

[Myk]

He’s a hall of famer for sure already…

If we could stick him away on PS and let him go after years I'd already declare him winner of the preseason.

It makes sense to get him if the plan is to draft a center or get Connor Williams. He can start while needed and move into being a versatile backup or possibly even a starting G who can back up C.
But if this is Poles great long term starting C plan there is no way he should be allowed to draft a QB #1. It's the same old Bears.

Unless he's some kind of genius who knows better than Eagles and Bills. But as far as we have seen, Cody Whitehair will be our '23 Center so Poles is probably not that kind of genius to notice a player other good teams hadn't noticed for years.

 

[Myk]

I sure hope not. It would mean Poles hasn't learned anything with the Lucas Patrick experiment. He needs to bring in another starter level talent on the interior to help out Caleb Williams. Bates is a great backup for all 3 interior positions.

Problem is Connor Williams in on an ACL. A high pick Center is a rookie. It could be reasonable to get Bates as a backup who's backup services will be instantly needed to start the season.

 

[Sculpt]

I'd start Bates at C before i would sign a starting G in free agency to bench N.Davis who has proven he can be a good starting RG in the NFL and just went through a lot of stuff last year from personally to injury issues.

I'm positive Bears will start Bates at C.

I hope N.Davis makes a comeback, but in my experience it doesn't tend to happen.

It makes sense to me... Bears have a contract-out for Davis after this year, and Jenkins is super injury prone (and FA next year).

If Davis bounces back, maybe he can split snaps with Jenkins. Maybe Jenkins shouldn't play every snap.

Either way, I would believe the trend that Davis is a liability. You're Tackles are avg pass protectors. Bears have cap to sign a good Guard to solidify the middle.

Worst that can happen is you're paying Davis $11mil to backup Jenkins for 1 yr. That's worth it to be sure your middle is solid.

 

[Bronze65]

I thought the Bills matched the offer and kept him?

 

[Nelly]

Problem is Connor Williams in on an ACL. A high pick Center is a rookie. It could be reasonable to get Bates as a backup who's backup services will be instantly needed to start the season.

That's the idea. Maybe you like Connor Williams a lot so that 5th rounder for Bates looks more palatable so you have a capable, veteran starter for the year until Williams gets healthy. Who knows.

Or you still sign someone else. This team needs more than Ryan Bates.

 

[Les Grossman]

That's the idea. Maybe you like Connor Williams a lot so that 5th rounder for Bates looks more palatable so you have a capable, veteran starter for the year until Williams gets healthy. Who knows.

Or you still sign someone else. This team needs more than Ryan Bates.

Seems like a lot of loopholes to jump through and perhaps a house of cards just to target Connor Williams. He's not even a blue chip type FA at a really important position.

I think people are WAYYYYY overthinking this. Bates is gonna be the starting Center.

 

[Nelly]

I think people are WAYYYYY overthinking this. Bates is gonna be the starting Center.

Who's backing up the interior line then, do you think? Re-sign Feeney? Ja'Tyre Carter?

 

[dabears70]

I'm trying to figure out how any of us on CCS would know that this guy couldn't be a legit starter in the NFL? There's no way for any of us to know since he hasn't been given that chance in Buffalo but when he did play he played very well at C or G.

 

[dabears70]

Who's backing up the interior line then, do you think? Re-sign Feeney? Ja'Tyre Carter?

 

[Chicago4Life]

Who's backing up the interior line then, do you think? Re-sign Feeney? Ja'Tyre Carter?

carter and kramer plus a draft pick would be my guess

 

[Nelly]

carter and kramer plus a draft pick would be my guess

Unless that pick is a 2nd or higher, I don't see how anyone could say that's not a pretty big fail on Poles' part. Bates figures to be better than Patrick but he's still only a $5 mil per year type guy. Nate Davis got twice that and people are eager to replace him.

An upper echelon free agent center still makes a lot of sense, IMO, with Bates being the first off the bench at all three interior spots.

 

[DaaBears]

I think we will have to wait until the next Poles press conference to see what the Bears intentions are with Bates.

 

[Myk]

Bates is gonna be the starting Center.

If you mean a long term solution and not an instantly used backup to Williams or a rookie if I'm the #1 QB prospects I'm refusing to play for the Bears.

I would go be a golfer before I'd come to this team if they still can't figure out to invest some talent into oline before bringing in a rookie QB.
I'm not risking my body and $50mil/yr career to come in and get instantly injured on a team who is bad because they obviously like being bad.

 

[Sculpt]

I'm trying to figure out how any of us on CCS would know that this guy couldn't be a legit starter in the NFL? There's no way for any of us to know since he hasn't been given that chance in Buffalo but when he did play he played very well at C or G.

He started 15 games for the Bills in '22. Played in 73 games, including all 17 last yr.

Poles made an offer for him in 22 that Bills met to keep him. 78 PFF. He's got cred.

With so few picks, a hole at Center, would Poles trade a 5th Rd pick for a 5th yr player unless he was gonna start him?

 

[Les Grossman]

Who's backing up the interior line then, do you think? Re-sign Feeney? Ja'Tyre Carter?

I think its pretty easy to sign a back-up OL in FA without having to give up a 5th round pick.