Getty Bears head coach Matt Eberflus was asked about injury-plagued offensive lineman Nate Davis. His response was a telling one.
Veteran offensive lineman Nate Davis left practice early for the Chicago Bears on July 27 after appearing to suffer an undisclosed injury.
The Chicago Tribune reported on July 27 that “Davis motioned to his midsection or hip” when getting attended to by trainers on the sideline. “He’s day-to-day,” Bears head coach Matt Eberflus said when asked about Davis. “We’ll see how it goes. When a guy strains something, we always pull him.”
Davis missed six games last season due to a death of his mother coupled with an ankle injury. While missing time due to the passing of his mother is completely understandable and was fully excused by the team, it’s Davis’s inability to stay healthy that Eberflus and company are concerned about.
When asked about Davis specifically and whether the veteran right guard’s dependability is becoming an issue, Eberflus was blunt and telling in his response.
“Availability is everything in this league,” Eberflus replied on July 27. “You gotta be available to practice. … That’s part of preparing for the first part of the season. (You have to) Callous yourself. That’s your individual responsibility to the football team. When you’re not out there, guess what? That doesn’t happen.”
Matt Eberflus Just Sent Clear Message to OL Nate Davis About Health & Injuries
Matt Eberflus: “Availability is everything in this league. … (You have) to callous yourself. That’s your individual responsibility to the football team and when you’re not out there, guess what? That doesn’t happen.”
Before signing a three-year, $30 million contract with the Bears last offseason, Davis was with the Tennessee Titans for four seasons. He started 54 games for the Titans, but his 2022 campaign was cut short due to a different ankle issue.
The Bears signed veteran center Coleman Shelton this offseason, and they also traded for former Buffalo Bills offensive lineman Ryan Bates.
Bates specifically filled in for Davis during OTAs, and Eberflus strongly suggested that if Davis doesn’t get back on the field, he won’t have a job to get back to.
“Sometimes guys get injured and that’s the way it goes, but they have to get back as fast as possible, because to me, there’s a lot of competition on this roster,” Coach Flus said, adding: “Versatility on the offense of line is something that we have now and we didn’t have before as much. … Depth is crucial. I always say a pair to spare at each position.”
Bears Have Better Offensive Line Depth This Year
Working through Davis’s injury last year was likely a huge reason Bears general manager Ryan Poles went out and added both Bates and Shelton. Poles also signed veteran free agent offensive linemen Matt Pryor and Jake Curhan, the latter of whom has experience working with new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron. Shelton also has experience playing in Waldron’s system.
With third-year O-lineman Ja’Tyre Carter also on the roster, the Bears have much better depth on the line than they did in 2023, when the likes of Lucas Patrick and Dan Feeney were still around. Both Patrick and Feeney are gone now, as is Cody Whitehair, who signed with the Las Vegas Raiders.
In addition to the aforementioned veteran additions to the line, the Bears also added rookie OL Kiran Amegadjie in the third round of the draft this year. With all the new bodies filling out the offensive line, there’s bound to be competition at every position.
“It’s always a competition,” Shelton said about playing in the NFL. “You’ve gotta earn your spot every time you step on that field. It’s just a certain mindset you’ve gotta go out there with and that’s just the way it is.”