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It’s still not certain whether the Chicago Bears will retain Justin Fields or draft a quarterback with the No. 1 pick, but now we know who will be snapping the ball for the team.
The Buffalo Bills announced on Monday that they traded center Ryan Bates to the Bears in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2024 draft.
Bates entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Penn State in 2019. He signed with the Philadelphia Eagles and was traded to the Bills a few months later.
In five seasons in Buffalo, Bates appeared in 73 games and made 19 starts. He also played in nine playoff games with four starts. He played all 17 games in 2023, though he didn’t make a start.
Bears general manager Ryan Poles attempted to sign Bates to a four-year offer sheet when he was a restricted free agent in 2022, but the Bills matched the offer.
Chicago allowed 50 sacks last season with Fields sustaining 44 sacks, the fifth-highest total in the league. Adding Bates should help make life a little easier for whoever is under center in 2024.
This offseason will be crucial to the Bears’ future. In addition to owning the No. 1 pick thanks to last year’s trade with the Carolina Panthers, Chicago also has the No. 9 pick, giving the team the chance to add a pair of blue-chip prospects in a draft class full of talent on both sides of the ball.
Signing Bates is a step in the right direction as the Bears try to complete their rebuild.
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