Nate Davis Has Finally Just Hit Rock Bottom
The signing was one of the biggest GM Ryan Poles ever made in free agency. Nate Davis was supposed to help solidify an offensive line that had been a consistent weakness for years. The Chicago Bears felt he had a great mix of power and athleticism to fit their system. Unfortunately, he instead became another cautionary tale of why teams should never lean on free agents to build a roster. It became obvious almost immediately that Davis had two big problems.
- He could never stay healthy
- He lacked any motivation to work or play hard
The guard missed almost all of the past two training camps, along with several games, because of various injuries. When he played, Davis was marred by consistency issues. Head coach Matt Eberflus and his staff had tried being patient with him, but everybody has a breaking point. The Bears finally reached theirs two weeks ago when they replaced him in the starting lineup with Matt Pryor. Still, it felt like he might still have a chance to redeem himself as a primary backup.
Not anymore.
The Nate Davis experiment is well and truly over.
Getting benched is one thing. Getting deactivated for game day despite being healthy is a clear signal the team no longer has any use for you. Chicago would rather go with somebody like Bill Murray, a former undrafted defensive tackle, than Davis. That should give you an idea of how far rock bottom is. Unfortunately, he has nobody to blame but himself. The Bears would be more forgiving if it were just the health issues. Look at Teven Jenkins as an example.
This move has nothing to do with injuries. It is a signal that Nate Davis doesn’t meet their standards. He isn’t putting in the work, effort, or intensity they demand of everybody else. There must be accountability, regardless of how big of a contract you signed. Davis seems content to collect his paycheck on the bench, so he might as well do it from home. Chicago is almost certain to release him next year to end this chapter of disappointment as soon as possible.