Chicago Bears offensive lineman Ryan Bates is going on injured reserve. The team announced on September 14 that the 2024 trade acquisition would be shut down, with a minimum requirement of four games, in a slew of roster moves ahead of their Week 2 road tilt versus the Houston Texans.
The earliest Bates can return is in Week 6 at home versus the Jacksonville Jaguars.
For Bates, who quickly emerged as a vocal leader in the group according to starting left guard Teven Jenkins, it is back to the grind of returning to the field.
Ryan Bates Talks Injuries, Leadership & Bears? RG Competition
Bears’ Ryan Bates Looking to Keep Positive Mindset
?It’s important to stay positive,? Bates told Clocker Sports on September 12 about the mental challenge he has endured. ?It’s very easy to get down the dumps if you’re struggling with an injury or something that’s ? you know you can perform at a certain level and something’s inhibiting you to not to do so. You can get frustrated, so a lot of it I try to stay mentally positive. It?s something I can do.
?You want to be contagious in the right way. I don’t want to be contagious with negativity. I want to be contagious with positivity and try to keep my head up, and just kind of keep getting better from the standpoint of getting healthy and from the standpoint of excelling my craft being an offensive lineman.?
The Bears traded a fifth-round pick to the Buffalo Bills for Bates, a player Chicago?s general manager, Ryan Poles, had targeted in previous transaction windows.
He was set to compete for the starting center job, but injuries in training camp derailed that plan.
Once healthy, Bates was instead called upon to compete with right guard Nate Davis, who himself had missed time and struggled when on the field in the preseason and Week 1. Head Coach Matt Eberflus alluded to competition at right guard on Monday.
Ryan Bates Leaning on Teammates With RG Competition Stalled
Bates and Davis graded out as the Bears? third and fourth-best linemen in pass blocking, respectively, per Pro Football Focus. Davis earned the group?s third-best run-blocking grade while Bates checked in sixth (i.e. last).
?I’m always competing,? Bates said when told of Eberflus? comments. ?I’m always striving to get better each and every way. Being a leader, being a football player, being a man. And nothing’s ever given to you, and I know that, especially in this business. Each day I try to get better and better. That’s all I can do.?
Still, not being on the field for such an extended period makes it difficult for Bates to fulfill his role as a leader among the offensive linemen.
Fortunately, he has found teammates he can lean on.
?It’s a little tough when you’re down, when you’re going through injuries to be [a leader]. Because you’re not out there with the boys, you’re not out there going through the grind,? Bates said. ?It’s hard, and I want to be out there. So it’s a certain type of leadership.
?I kind of rely on a lot on the guys who?re out there playing like Coleman [Shelton], like Braxton [Jones] to be the vocal guys when I’m in the situation I’m in. Because nobody really wants to hear from a guy who’s not out there, like I said, going through it. But everybody ? it’s a line that I gotta balance and still being present with everybody.?
Bears Maintain OL Continuity Entering Week 2
Eberflus said that Davis responded with a good week of practice, and the Bears have no plans to rotate Davis versus the Texans. Davis spoke in training camp about still feeling the support of the organization. But the Bears have options in position if Davis falters again in Week 2.
Veteran Matt Pryor can play both inside and outside.
Rookie third-round pick Kiran Amegadjie is finally healthy after recovering from a quad injury that he suffered in 2023 while still in college at Yale.
?The more time you get with guys, the better it feels. So, obviously, that rotation kept going and just feeling comfortable with each guy is the way it rolls,? Shelton told Clocker Sports ahead of Thursday?s practice. ?As long as we get all five [linemen] on the same page, that’s the goal.?
The numbers support trotting the same group out for the time being anyway.
Caleb Williams was kept clean on 72.7% of his dropbacks in Week 1, per PFF. The Bears also ranked eighth in both pass and run blocking, albeit on an imperfect scale.