Bates (undisclosed) has received medical clearance to sign and play with a team this season, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.
Bates reached an injury settlement with the Browns in late August after reverting to injured reserve. The third-year pro has been given the green light to return to on-field action and should garner interest from teams looking to add depth to the tight-end position, either on the active roster or practice squad. Bates entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2024 and has appeared in 16 regular-season games across the last two years, serving mostly as a blocker on offense and contributor on special teams.