It’s uncertain what drew Bears general manager Ryan Poles to 27-year-old offensive guard Ryan Bates. In 2022, Poles attempted to sign Bates as a restricted free agent, but the Buffalo Bills matched the offer sheet, forcing the Bears to explore other options.
Fast forward to this offseason, and Poles finally secured his target by trading a fifth-round pick to Buffalo. The move raised eyebrows, as Bates had been relegated to a backup role, and the Bills had even released the starter ahead of him on their depth chart. Critics questioned why the Bears would give up draft capital for a player his own team didn’t deem starting material.
Initially, the Bears planned for Bates to compete for the starting center position and provide depth at guard. However, a shoulder injury in training camp landed him on injured reserve before the regular season even began.
According to Brad Biggs of the *Chicago Tribune*, Bates’ shoulder issues stemmed from severe arthritis, which caused debilitating pain and severely limited his mobility.
“I couldn’t do a push-up. I couldn’t lift my arm above parallel to the ground. There was no movement in the joint because of the pain,” Bates explained.
Since his shoulder was structurally intact, surgery wasn’t an option. Instead, Bates opted for stem cell therapy after consulting with other players. The treatment, unavailable in the U.S., required him to travel to Auragens in Panama City. Remarkably, within 72 hours of completing the five-day procedure, Bates experienced significant improvement.
Unfortunately, after recovering and returning to the field, Bates exited Sunday’s game against the Packers due to a concussion.
Despite a rocky start to Bates’ time in Chicago, the Bears still need him to step up. Injuries to Teven Jenkins and the departure of Nate Davis have made Bates a key figure on the interior offensive line. Whether Poles’ persistent pursuit of Bates will pay off remains to be seen, but the story is far from over.
