Ryan "Rick" Bates Watch Thread

[BringMetheHeadofLeonLett]

2 hours ago, Coach Tuesday said:

Bates in search of master.

???  This is the 21st century

[GunnerBill]

7 hours ago, MrEpsYtown said:

A bunch of draft people projected that guard would be his best position because of his height, but he was a left tackle at Temple and has been really good as a pro. His height isn’t a problem because he has freakishly long arms. 

 

I was among them (and I still even now think he could be an all pro at LG). I always knew he could play tackle but my main concern on him as a tackle was foot speed and there are still moments againt true speed rushers where they get outside him and blow by. But he has played better in the league at tackle than I'd have imagined. My view was he could be a starter but would probably never be a top 10 guy and I would now say that at his best in 2020 he did play at that borderline top 10 level. We didn't quite see it last year though there were genuine mitigations and he came on down the stretch.

[John from Riverside]

7 hours ago, RichRiderBills said:

Reminds me of the Ryan Groy situation.

 

 

I could see where somebody would say that that thought is crossed my mind I think that it’s different because Bates has proven himself overtime over years literally every time he has been given a chance to be in the lineup he is produced and then when he got put into the lineup for extended games he has produced

[GunnerBill]

10 minutes ago, John from Riverside said:

I could see where somebody would say that that thought is crossed my mind I think that it’s different because Bates has proven himself overtime over years literally every time he has been given a chance to be in the lineup he is produced and then when he got put into the lineup for extended games he has produced

 

Has he? He barely played before the end of last season. I think if someone offers Bates a mid-range starting guard deal they should let him sign it. 

[CSBill]

29 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

Has he? He barely played before the end of last season. I think if someone offers Bates a mid-range starting guard deal they should let him sign it. 

 

But I think the under-appreciated value of Ryan Bates is his ability, and intelligence, to fill in at any time in any of the o-line positions. Back to the "protect Josh" line of thought: if that is important--and we all know it is, and o-linemen get hurt--and we know that happens, then having someone you can trust to know what to do and to be able and go out and do it--to the level that it seems like there is never a dip--is HUGE.

 

Whether Bates starts or not, I think he is a very important part of this team. I would hate to see him go.

 

But to your big point Gunner, it will come down to the money. Do the Bills have enough to keep him without having to overspend?

[HOUSE]

Having dinner with Bill Belichick is unforgivable

 

https://www.syracuse.com/buffalo-bills/2022/03/multiple-teams-including-patriots-swarming-on-bills-ryan-bates.html

[YoloinOhio]

Free up the 2.43 or whatever he’s taking up now in cap space and draft a OG please 

[No_Matter_What]

13 hours ago, Saint Doug said:

So far Beane has been relatively neglectful of his number 1 priority of getting Josh protection. 

Agreed. I'd say that no matter if Bates leave there is like 99% chance we draft IOL in first 3 rounds, but still. I don't understand the game enough to compare players but so far we have just exchanged Williams for Saffold (which is a small upgrade I guess) and got worse in depth. If Bates leaves it gets much worse. Even if we draft Zion Johnson that would be still less than I hoped for.

 

Anyway, this is the reason why I believe that plan is to draft OG very early. And since there doesn't seem to be value in round 2, I fully expect to draft Johnson round 1 (or maybe after trade down in 1st or trade up in 2nd).

[RichRiderBills]

2 hours ago, John from Riverside said:

I could see where somebody would say that that thought is crossed my mind I think that it’s different because Bates has proven himself overtime over years literally every time he has been given a chance to be in the lineup he is produced and then when he got put into the lineup for extended games he has produced

 

Groy had double the starts

[YoloinOhio]

18 minutes ago, No_Matter_What said:

Agreed. I'd say that no matter if Bates leave there is like 99% chance we draft IOL in first 3 rounds, but still. I don't understand the game enough to compare players but so far we have just exchanged Williams for Saffold (which is a small upgrade I guess) and got worse in depth. If Bates leaves it gets much worse. Even if we draft Zion Johnson that would be still less than I hoped for.

 

Anyway, this is the reason why I believe that plan is to draft OG very early. And since there doesn't seem to be value in round 2, I fully expect to draft Johnson round 1 (or maybe after trade down in 1st or trade up in 2nd).

They actually signed Saffold to play LG and replace Feliciano/Boettger (big upgrade). Ford will be the default DW replacement at RG but that’s where the rookie will compete for a spot. Mancz is the depth signing. If Bates returns he will compete with Ford/Rookie (hopefully they draft one) at RG. 

Edited March 23, 2022 by YoloinOhio

[John from Riverside]

11 minutes ago, YoloinOhio said:

They actually signed Saffold to play LG and replace Feliciano/Boettger (big upgrade). Ford will be the default DW replacement at RG but that’s where the rookie will compete for a spot. Mancz is the depth signing. If Bates returns he will compete with Ford/Rookie (hopefully they draft one) at RG. 

The thought of depending on Ford to start at this point bothers me

2 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

 

Has he? He barely played before the end of last season. I think if someone offers Bates a mid-range starting guard deal they should let him sign it. 

You’re putting Ford in a position to possibly be the starter with that thinking and I don’t think that’s good

[John from Riverside]

21 minutes ago, RichRiderBills said:

 

Groy had double the starts

And look horrible doing it

[GunnerBill]

2 minutes ago, John from Riverside said:

 

You’re putting Ford in a position to possibly be the starter with that thinking and I don’t think that’s good

 

I don't think Ford will end up on the 53. But that is just me. I don't think you potentially overpay for Bates on the basis of a 4-6 game run last year just because you don't have an alternative. 

[John from Riverside]

20 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

I don't think Ford will end up on the 53. But that is just me. I don't think you potentially overpay for Bates on the basis of a 4-6 game run last year just because you don't have an alternative. 

So then what is the alternative it’s either a veteran we haven’t seen yet or a rookie draft pick

[GunnerBill]

1 minute ago, John from Riverside said:

So then what is the alternative it’s either a veteran we haven’t seen yet or a rookie draft pick

 

Yes, but you can't overpay for Bates on a tiny sample size because of that. You have to make the Bates decision on its own merits and then if you lose him you start looking at your alternative options. 

[No_Matter_What]

21 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

I don't think Ford will end up on the 53. But that is just me. I don't think you potentially overpay for Bates on the basis of a 4-6 game run last year just because you don't have an alternative. 

Interesting. So who do think will be on the roster?

 

Dawkins, Saffold, Morse, Brown, Doyle and early draft pick are stone cold locks. Thats 6. Seven if you count Bates, but you are also saying you wouldn't match any higher offer, so not sure we can count him.

 

Assuming there will be 9 OL on the roster, you need 2 more to get ahead of Ford. Is it Mancz and another (late) draft pick? Or do you still expect Beane to sign somebody better than Ford in FA?

 

I am not arguing with you I just don't see how Ford (still on the rookie deal) could be cut, esp. with new OL coach.

[HOUSE]

[Big Turk]

1 hour ago, YoloinOhio said:

Free up the 2.43 or whatever he’s taking up now in cap space and draft a OG please 

 

I don't know why they didn't just tender him with a 2nd tender. All the dude did was play well when he was put in the lineup do they think teams didn't see how he stabilized the OLine and improved the run game? Not to mention his versatility.

 

Bills do very well at uncovering hidden gems but not so well at gauging the value other teams will put on them.

[GunnerBill]

7 minutes ago, No_Matter_What said:

Interesting. So who do think will be on the roster?

 

Dawkins, Saffold, Morse, Brown, Doyle and early draft pick are stone cold locks. Thats 6. Seven if you count Bates, but you are also saying you wouldn't match any higher offer, so not sure we can count him.

 

Assuming there will be 9 OL on the roster, you need 2 more to get ahead of Ford. Is it Mancz and another (late) draft pick? Or do you still expect Beane to sign somebody better than Ford in FA?

 

I am not arguing with you I just don't see how Ford (still on the rookie deal) could be cut, esp. with new OL coach.

 

I just think Ford is done. He counts $2.3m against the cap this year, they are not going to re-sign him, they would save $1.5m by cutting him. He would have to be so good in camp that he is genuinely deserving of the starting job to make the 53 IMO. Because they could actually end up with a cheaper backup off the street or out of the draft. Is that Mancz or someone else? Not sure at this stage, but Cody has to be at worst their 6th best lineman to make the 53 IMO.

[YoloinOhio]

9 minutes ago, Big Turk said:

 

I don't know why they didn't just tender him with a 2nd tender. All the dude did was play well when he was put in the lineup do they think teams didn't see how he stabilized the OLine and improved the run game? Not to mention his versatility.

 

Bills do very well at uncovering hidden gems but not so well at gauging the value other teams will put on them.

It makes sense when you look at the options -

tender at the lowest, get him back at that amount 

tender at the lowest, risk someone offering between 2.4 and 3.9, you then match at less than the 2nd round tender that you would have paid anyway 

tender at the lowest, risk someone offering above 4 mill, ok they value him higher than we do, but we can pay him that if we choose

 

tender at the lowest, someone offers a front loaded deal that pays like 10 mill over two years or something with 7 in first year  - see ya - take his cap space and go sign will Hernandez who I think would be an upgrade 

 

 

Edited March 23, 2022 by YoloinOhio