Ryan "Rick" Bates Watch Thread

[billsfan1959]

1 hour ago, ExWNYer said:

 

A Bates watch thread? I think we got 'Rickrolled'. 😁

 

It's more than just a Bates thread. It was pinned to keep a hundred different Bates threads from popping up. 

 

So, in essence, it is a Master Bates thread...

[Hapless Bills Fan]

8 hours ago, beerme1 said:

 

Agreed but what if Lawn Chair says I can work him up?

 

Then Trust the Lawn Chair

 

6 minutes ago, billsfan1959 said:

 

It's more than just a Bates thread. It was pinned to keep a hundred different Bates threads from popping up. 

 

So, in essence, it is a Master Bates thread...

 

Niiiiiice.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

1 hour ago, Dopey said:

I'm that scenario, I agree. My point to Buffalo Barbarian was, Bates will take the best offer. If he gets a better offer, I highly doubt he'll turn it down to stay here to win a championship that's not guaranteed. That's"fan" talk. An NFL player's career, on average, is pretty short due to injury. He's going where the $ is. He's not a 1st round pick who's made huge money. I believe this is the first contract offer worth over $1 million. Hope we can somehow keep him. Not sure we'll match offers greater than ours, though.

 

I think Beane probably has a maximum contract in mind, and if that's the offer, he'll match it. 

 

I don't believe Beane that we're flat against the cap.  I think he has one or more moves he's ready to make to free more cap, but he'd love to see someone think we're broke and give Bates a qualifying offer sheet that's within our reach or within his idea of maximum contract.

 

I agree with you that NFL players, especially players at the bottom of the depth chart, need to be hard-headed and practical and take the money.

 

Look at Boettger, suffered a potentially career-ending injury near the end of the season.  Last year, if he turned down a qualifying offer for multiple years or more guaranteed money to take our tender, he'd be kicking himself in the keister right now (I don't think he did).

[YoloinOhio]

 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

So in another thread, @NewEra brought up the valid point that Bates looked solid at LG at the end of this season, playing between our two best OLmen - Dawkins and Morse.

 

As RG, he'd be playing next to a guy who struggled at times in pass pro as a rookie.

 

Clearly at this point all Bates experience last year was at LG

 

Does anyone know whether he has snaps at RG with the Bills, and if so when/how much?

[GunnerBill]

I am told he will end up in Chicago. 

[billsfan1959]

@NewEra

@Hapless Bills Fan

 

From your question about how many snaps Bates has had in the NFL at RG:

 

Bates snaps in the NFL:

 

454 total snaps

 

LT      LG     C      RG     RT    ITE (Inline TE)

95     214    33    33     29          50

 

20 of those 33 snaps at RG came in the 2nd NE game last year. He played 79 total snaps in that game, 59 at LG and 20 at RG. 

So, he has played at RG in only 4 games: 8 snaps vs Seattle in 2020, 1 snap at SF in 2020, 4 snaps at NO in 20021, and the 20 snaps against NE in 2021.

Edited March 22, 2022 by billsfan1959

[FilthyBeast]

This Bates saga is a bit strange and raises a few questions in that either Beane did not think he would get much interest on the market and/or doesn't care if we lose him to another team.

 

Bates was a key piece of the oline rounding into form at the end of the season and into the playoffs but you still have to wonder if he's legit 16+ game starting material. If he does leave guard becomes another major priority along with DB.

[NewEra]

3 minutes ago, billsfan1959 said:

@NewEra

@Hapless Bills Fan

 

From your question about how many snaps Bates has had in the NFL at RG:

 

Bates snaps in the NFL:

 

454 total snaps

 

LT      LG     C      RG     RT    ITE (Inline TE)

95     214    33    33     29          50

 

20 of those 33 snaps at RG came in the 2nd NE game last year. He played 79 total snaps in that game, 59 at LG and 20 at RG. 

So, he has played at RG in only 4 games: 8 snaps vs Seattle in 2020, 1 snap at SF in 2020, 4 snaps at NO in 20021, and the 20 snaps against NE in 2021.

Much appreciated.  33 snaps is a little concerning to me.  I’m not going overboard with my concerns, but handing him the keys to a position that he such little experience playing is scary.  Even if he’s retained, we should be taking a guard in rd 1-3.  Can Jurgens in rd 3 is ideal to me…but I think we’d have to take him in rd 2, which I’m also fine with.  

[njbuff]

Even if the Bills re-sign Bates………

 

If Johnson or Green are there at 25, it might be difficult for the Bills to pass on either one of them.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

13 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

I am told he will end up in Chicago. 

 

Told by whom?

 

 

 

[billsfan1959]

1 minute ago, NewEra said:

Much appreciated.  33 snaps is a little concerning to me.  I’m not going overboard with my concerns, but handing him the keys to a position that he such little experience playing is scary.  Even if he’s retained, we should be taking a guard in rd 1-3.  Can Jurgens in rd 3 is ideal to me…but I think we’d have to take him in rd 2, which I’m also fine with.  

 

I have been banging the drum for interior OL focus in the upcoming draft. They have the best damn QB in the NFL and drafting young linemen to put the very best line they can in front of him should be at the top of their list of priorities. I doubt Bates is coming back, but even if he did, he is not the caliber of starter they should be putting in front of Allen.

[NewEra]

9 minutes ago, FilthyBeast said:

This Bates saga is a bit strange and raises a few questions in that either Beane did not think he would get much interest on the market and/or doesn't care if we lose him to another team.

 

Bates was a key piece of the oline rounding into form at the end of the season and into the playoffs but you still have to wonder if he's legit 16+ game starting material. If he does leave guard becomes another major priority along with DB.

It should be a major priority even if we retain him imo.  Saffold will probably be gone after we win the SB.  He was banged up last season too.  Bates has 33 career snaps @ RG.  I’d draft an OG in rd 1-3 no matter what. 

[ColoradoBills]

Personally, I thought Beane was going to put a 2nd round tender on Bates.

He didn't but one thing we don't know is if any negotiations were going on for a longer term contract between the parties.

 

If Bates and his agent did talk a longer (say 2-3 year deal) he may have wanted more than Beane wanted to pay for his limited play.

The positive that might happen is a team offers a 2 or 3 year contract that Beane likes.

 

Let's put it this way.  If Beane did put the 2nd round on him it's $4M for 1 year and then if Bates plays well he will want a bigger deal.

This way other teams show what his market is today and gives an offer.  If Bates signs one it may be agreeable to Beane.

If Bates only gets lower than he believes he's worth offers he comes back to Buffalo for a one year deal on the cheap and reloads for a bigger payday 

next year.

 

I for one am more than willing to let this play out and see what happens.

[MrEpsYtown]

5 minutes ago, NewEra said:

Much appreciated.  33 snaps is a little concerning to me.  I’m not going overboard with my concerns, but handing him the keys to a position that he such little experience playing is scary.  Even if he’s retained, we should be taking a guard in rd 1-3.  Can Jurgens in rd 3 is ideal to me…but I think we’d have to take him in rd 2, which I’m also fine with.  

 

I am not too worried about him playing the RG spot. For Bates, he was primarily a left tackle in college, so it just may feel a little natural for him to play on the left side. I think center may actually be his best position. My concern with Bates playing the RG spot is the fact that he will be playing next to a relatively inexperienced RT in Brown. Ideally, Bates plays next to Dawkins and Brown plays next to Saffold. Saffold has played RG in the past, but the majority of his time has been spent at LG. 

 

I will say this...if Bates comes back and he becomes the starter at RG, it is great for him because he can just focus on playing one position. he doesn't have to worry about flipping sides or playing backup center. With his athleticism and his ability to adapt, being in one spot will be very good for him. Also, his experience at center gives him really good knowledge of the protections being called with Morse and Allen, so having two guys on the line wth that type of knowledge is great. 

[FilthyBeast]

1 minute ago, NewEra said:

It should be a major priority even if we retain him imo.  Saffold will probably be gone after we win the SB.  He was banged up last season too.  Bates has 33 career snaps @ RG.  I’d draft an OG in rd 1-3 no matter what. 

 

You are probably right, hard to see Beane not taking IOL somewhere in the top 3 rounds even if we pick up another bargain basement FA or two along the way.

[NewEra]

11 minutes ago, njbuff said:

Even if the Bills re-sign Bates………

 

If Johnson or Green are there at 25, it might be difficult for the Bills to pass on either one of them.

Zion is the type of guy I wouldn’t have a problem drafting @ 25.  I’m not the biggest fan of taking IOL and I’d prefer to wait for jurgens in rd 2, but he might not even be there rd 2.  Protecting Josh matter more than anything imo.  I’m down with Zion @ 25

[MrEpsYtown]

11 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Told by whom?

 

 

 

 

27 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

I am told he will end up in Chicago. 

 

Chicago has the cap space and makes the most sense. I guess they added Lucas Patrick from the Packers to a 2 year 8 million dollar deal to play center apparently. If they add Bates, are they really going to pay more than 2/8? The Bears new GM is a line guy and they have people in their front office who heavily scouted Bates and got him to sign in Philly. But going from James Daniels to Ryan Bates is not an upgrade. 

 

I myself would have gone 2nd round tender. 

[NewEra]

5 minutes ago, MrEpsYtown said:

 

I am not too worried about him playing the RG spot. For Bates, he was primarily a left tackle in college, so it just may feel a little natural for him to play on the left side. I think center may actually be his best position. My concern with Bates playing the RG spot is the fact that he will be playing next to a relatively inexperienced RT in Brown. Ideally, Bates plays next to Dawkins and Brown plays next to Saffold. Saffold has played RG in the past, but the majority of his time has been spent at LG. 

 

I will say this...if Bates comes back and he becomes the starter at RG, it is great for him because he can just focus on playing one position. he doesn't have to worry about flipping sides or playing backup center. With his athleticism and his ability to adapt, being in one spot will be very good for him. Also, his experience at center gives him really good knowledge of the protections being called with Morse and Allen, so having two guys on the line wth that type of knowledge is great. 

I mentioned Bates playing next to brown as opposed to Dawkins in a previous thread.  It’s something that isn’t being discussed very much and I think it could have played a part in his tender and possibly moving on from him.  I have confidence that Beane will plug the hole properly, but still worried because Ford is currently the place holder.  
 

trai Turner played ok last year.  Maybe him on a 1 year 3-4M contract could be beneficial for both the player and team

3 minutes ago, MrEpsYtown said:

 

 

Chicago has the cap space and makes the most sense. I guess they added Lucas Patrick from the Packers to a 2 year 8 million dollar deal to play center apparently. If they add Bates, are they really going to pay more than 2/8? The Bears new GM is a line guy and they have people in their front office who heavily scouted Bates and got him to sign in Philly. But going from James Daniels to Ryan Bates is not an upgrade. 

 

I myself would have gone 2nd round tender. 

I would’ve gone 2nd rd too…..but maybe they are looking for an upgrade.  I’m hoping anyway. 

[billsfan1959]

2 minutes ago, NewEra said:

Zion is the type of guy I wouldn’t have a problem drafting @ 25.  I’m not the biggest fan of taking IOL and I’d prefer to wait for jurgens in rd 2, but he might not even be there rd 2.  Protecting Josh matter more than anything imo.  I’m down with Zion @ 25

 

Yep. I would normally not even suggest an interor lineman in the 1st. The game has changed and having a franchise QB and protecting that franchise QB are the top priorities now. IMO, it means taking a Guard later in the 1st rd is absolutely fine. If we don't take him at 25, he won't get by Green Bay, Miami, KC, or Cincinnati behind us.