Washington Commanders · Tight end · #87
John Bates
John Bates is a 28-year-old tight end wearing #87 for the Washington Commanders. Draft: Round 4, pick 124 in 2021 by Washington. Contract: Signed through 2027, 4 years, $4.2M total.
Contract
| Year | Base | Signing bonus | Roster bonus | Guaranteed | Cap number |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $3M | $2.3M | $340K | $3M | $5.8M |
| 2027 | $7.3M | $2.3M | $1.1M | $0 | $10.8M |
If Washington moved on now
| Move | Dead money | Cap savings |
|---|---|---|
| Cut before June 1 | $7.7M | -$1.9M |
| Cut after June 1 | $5.3M | $450K |
| Trade before June 1 | $4.7M | $1.1M |
| Trade after June 1 | $2.3M | $3.5M |
Sources: OverTheCap
Stats
2026 game log
| Date | Opp | Result | REC | TGTS | YDS | AVG | TD | LNG | CAR | YDS | AVG | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27 | vs SEA | W 33-31 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 9.0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 |
| Sep 20 | @ DAL | L 37-20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 |
| Sep 13 | @ PHI | L 24-22 | 2 | 3 | 13 | 6.5 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Season | GP | REC | TGTS | YDS | AVG | TD | LNG | FD | FUM | LST |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 17 | 20 | 25 | 249 | 12.4 | 1 | 32 | 11 | 1 | 0 |
| 2022 | 16 | 14 | 22 | 108 | 7.7 | 1 | 20 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 2023 | 17 | 19 | 28 | 151 | 7.9 | 0 | 35 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | 17 | 8 | 13 | 84 | 10.5 | 0 | 20 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| 2025 | 15 | 11 | 16 | 103 | 9.4 | 1 | 22 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 2026 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 22 | 7.3 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Passing
| Season | GP | CMP | ATT | CMP% | YDS | AVG | TD | INT | LNG | SACK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2026 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Returning
| Season | GP | ATT | YDS | TD | FC | LNG | ATT | YDS | TD | KRFC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
Defense
| Season | GP | TOT | SOLO | AST | SACK | FF | FR | YDS | INT | YDS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 17 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 17 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | 17 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Advanced
Expected points added per play, 2026
EPA per play from nflverse play-by-play. Above zero means the play added points on average.
Snap counts
Draft and combine
Fantasy
John FAQ
What number does John Bates wear?
John Bates wears number 87 for the Washington Commanders.
How old is John Bates?
John Bates is 28 years old, born November 6, 1997.
When does John Bates's contract end?
John Bates is under contract with Washington through the 2027 season and is set to be a UFA after it. His 2026 cap number is $5,793,333.
How much is John Bates's contract worth?
John Bates signed a 4-year, $4,202,416 contract in 2021, averaging $1,050,604 a year with $722,416 guaranteed (OverTheCap).
When was John Bates drafted?
John Bates: Round 4, pick 124 in 2021 by Washington.
Where did John Bates play college football?
John Bates played college football at Boise State.
