Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) - Buffalo Bills offensive lineman Ryan Bates has signed an offer sheet with the Chicago Bears, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
It is not yet known exactly what the details are of the deal. No matter what they are, the Bills will now have five days to match the offer or lose Bates to Chicago.
Since Bates was a restricted free agent and the Bills gave him the minimum qualifying tender of $2.43 million, called the "original round tender," they are only entitled to compensation if he were drafted. But since he was an undrafted free agent when he came out of Penn State University in 2019, if the Bills chose not to match, they would not receive any compensation in return.
According to the NFLPA's public salary cap report, the Bills have just under $2.9 million remaining in 2022 salary cap space. Bates' $2.43 million tender is already accounting on their books.
If the Bills were to match the Bears' offer, it would cost the difference between the offer and that amount against their cap. If they do not match, that $2.43 million will be cleared off the Bills' salary cap.
Bates proved to be extremely valuable for the team down the stretch in 2021, starting the final three regular season contests and both playoff games at guard, and playing really well overall.
The 25-year-old has been with the Bills for three years, acquired via trade from the Philadelphia Eagles prior to the 2019 season. His biggest asset has been his versatility.
Bates can actually play all five offensive line spots, but after settling in at guard and playing as well as he did, that would appear the spot for him going forward, if he were to remain with the Bills.
Follow me on Twitter: @SalSports
