Getty Bears head coach Matt Eberflus.
The Chicago Bears are dealing with injury issues during training camp, particularly along the offensive line. And while head coach Matt Eberflus respects that situation, he also just sent a clear message to his team about toughness and preparedness.
Eberflus spoke to reporters on Tuesday, August 6, and didn’t mince words about how important it is for players to get practice reps, adding that they need to tough out the “hard” whenever possible.
“Availability is everything, right, in this league. So you’ve got to be available to practice and you’ve go to be able to go through hard in terms of doing hard better during training camp,” Eberflus said. “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. Availability is important at every position and sometimes guys get injured and that’s the way it goes, and there’s some things you can do. But they have to get back as fast as possible because … there’s a lot of competition on this roster.”
Matt Eberflus Calls Out Nate Davis, Others on Offensive Line
GettyChicago Bears right guard Nate Davis.
Eberflus launched into those specific comments in response to a question a reporter asked him about right guard Nate Davis, who has missed almost all of training camp after suffering an injury on the first day.
Josh Schrock of NBC Sports reported on Tuesday that Davis returned to the field two days prior (Sunday, August 4) and “did individual drills before leaving practice.”
Davis joined the Bears on a three-year, $30 million contract in March 2023. He missed six of 17 starts that season, four due to an ankle injury as well as two for personal reasons, according to Fox Sports.
Davis was also a subpar performer when he was on the field, ranking 58th out of 79 offensive guards who played enough snaps to qualify last season, per Pro Football Focus.
Bears Offensive Line Struggling to Stay Healthy in Preseason
GettyOffensive guard Teven Jenkins of the Chicago Bears.
While Davis spurred the aforementioned quote from Eberflus, as well as other strong words from the Bears head coach about competition and the possibility of a player losing his job due to injury, the offensive lineman wasn’t the only person to whom Eberflus was sending a message.
Other than a hole at edge rusher opposite Pro Bowler Montez Sweat, Chicago’s offensive line is its greatest weakness heading into the season. That is even more problematic considering the investment the franchise just made in quarterback Caleb Williams, who it selected No. 1 overall in the 2024 NFL draft out of USC.
Beyond the injury issues for Davis since camp began, two other starters O-line starters in right tackle Darnell Wright and left guard Teven Jenkins have missed time recently.
“Wright has missed the last few practices after coming up hobbled during the end of Tuesday’s padded session,” Schrock wrote. “Jenkins exited Sunday’s practice before warm-ups. The left guard went right into the training center and did not reemerge.”
The Bears added Coleman Shelton in free agency and traded with the Buffalo Bills for Ryan Bates this offseason to shore up the center position and add depth to the interior. Chicago also signed Matt Pryor as a backup guard.
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Bears Coach Matt Eberflus Sends Clear Warning to Team on Missed Practices