Buffalo traded Ryan Bates to Chicago for the 2024 fifth-round…
Buffalo traded Ryan Bates to Chicago for the 2024 fifth-round pick that became No. 144. The Bills did not select Austin Booker with it; they traded No. 144 back to Chicago for a 2025 fourth-round pick, which is the proper Buffalo return to trace. Bates played 19 Bears games across 2024-25 but made only two starts. Buffalo wins on preserved draft value and Chicago's limited offensive-line return.
Buffalo Bills Received
- pick 2024 fifth-round pick (#144 overall; traded back to Chicago for a 2025 fourth-round pick)
Chicago Bears Received
- player Ryan Bates
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Buffalo agreed in March 2024 to send Ryan Bates to Chicago for a fifth-round selection, and the trade became official on March 13. That pick was No. 144. What happened next is central to the return: Buffalo did not draft Austin Booker. On draft day, the Bills traded No. 144 back to Chicago for the Bears' 2025 fourth-round pick.
Buffalo Bills Return
Buffalo therefore turned a reserve offensive lineman into draft capital and then rolled that capital forward one year while moving up a round. The correct return is not Booker; it is the 2025 fourth-round asset received from Chicago. Later Buffalo draft maneuvering involved that capital in broader multi-pick exchanges, so the chain should stop before assigning any eventual player solely to the Bates deal. A B reflects the clean value preservation and improved round.
Chicago Bears Return
Chicago received Bates, but injuries and role limited the payoff. He played three games and started two in 2024, spending two separate stretches on injured reserve. In 2025 he appeared in 16 games without an offensive start, bringing his Bears total to 19 games and two starts. That is real roster service, but much less offensive-line value than Chicago likely hoped to obtain.
Value in Hindsight
Austin Booker belongs to Chicago's later reacquisition of No. 144, not to Buffalo's return. Booker was selected by Chicago only after Chicago reacquired No. 144 from Buffalo for another pick. Buffalo's value was the fifth-round selection and, more precisely, its conversion into a future fourth. Chicago's return was Bates' limited two-season usage.
Final Verdict
Buffalo Bills Win. Buffalo earns B for converting Bates into improving draft capital. Chicago receives C for 19 games but only two starts from Bates through 2025.