Getty General manager Ryan Poles of the Chicago Bears.
In March of 2024, the Chicago Bears traded a 2024 fifth-round pick to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for offensive lineman Ryan Bates. According to a surprising report courtesy of the Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs, between then and now, the 27-year-old OL considered retirement due to a shoulder issue that has hampered him all year.
Noting Bates “credits a trip to Panama to receive stem cell therapy for reviving his career,” Biggs revealed Bates “probably would have had to retire” if the therapy didn’t work.
“Nothing was structurally wrong with it. He was battling arthritis that was more severe than anything he’d previously encountered in a career that, before this season, never had included a trip to IR,” Biggs wrote on November 18, adding:
“The shoulder pain would calm down a little as Bates rested during training camp and the preseason, but each time he returned to play, the shoulder lacked strength and the pain quickly returned — worse than before.”
More on Bears OL Ryan Bates Considering Retirement
After playing Week 1 against the Tennessee Titans, Bates didn’t play again until Week 10, when he returned full strength against the New England Patriots. Biggs reports that during that two month span, Bates left the country to receive stem cell treatment on his shoulder.
“Surgery wasn’t recommended because there was nothing structurally wrong with the joint,” Biggs noted. “Medical professionals explained the potentially small risks — stem cell treatment is not approved in the United States. Bates spoke with other athletes who turned to stem cell treatment, liked the positive feedback he received, and with the team’s blessing a plan was put into motion quickly, knowing each day was of the essence if he was going to return this season.”
“It wasn’t cheap,” Bates said about the treatment, via Biggs. “But it was an investment for myself. I’m investing in my body, my career now and for my future career. It just made sense. What I was doing wasn’t working. This was a solution and my shoulder feels 1,000 times better.”
Unfortunately, Bates suffered a concussion Week 11 against the Green Bay Packers, and could miss more time as a result.
Bates Has Yet to Make His Mark With Bears
Bates went undrafted in the 2019 NFL draft. He signed with the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent, but his time with the Eagles was short-lived. Philly traded Bates to the Bills in exchange for linebacker Eli Harold, who is no longer in the league.
In 2021, Bates made his first career start for the Bills Week 16 at right guard, and continued to start throughout the playoffs at left guard. His adaptability and solid performance earned him a four-year, $17 million contract with the Bills in April of 2022 — after they matched an offer sheet from Chicago, who tried to poach Bates that spring.
Bears general manager Ryan Poles finally got Bates in 2024, and the Bears will pay the rest of his contract (Bates has cap hits of $4 million in 2024 and 2025).
A versatile OL, Bates has yet to make much of an impression in Chicago, but his versatility on the line is a definite asset. He has played substantial snaps at right guard (941), left guard (221) and center (201) and has also chipped in at left tackle when needed. As of November 2024, Bates has appeared in 76 regular season games with 21 starts, along with nine playoff appearances and four postseason starts.
Hopefully he’ll become more of a factor on the Bears’ O-line now that his shoulder issue is in the rear view.
Beth Mishler-Elmore Beth Mishler-Elmore is a Heavy sports contributor based in the Midwest, focusing on the NFL, NBA and WNBA. More about Beth Mishler-Elmore
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