Nate Davis Injury Raises New Concerns After Early Exit from Camp

Getty Bears head coach Matt Eberflus.

The Chicago Bears had starting right guard Nate Davis back at training camp during August 4’s practice … or they did for a little while, anyway.

Davis made his return on Sunday and participated in offensive line drills for the first time since suffering his unspecified injury in July 27’s practice. Unfortunately, ESPN’s Courtney Cronin reported that Davis left the practice field shortly after drills ended and spoke with one of the Bears’ trainers before taking off his pads and ending his day.

Cronin also noted that it is unclear whether the Bears intended to limit Davis in his first practice back or if Davis “aggravated” his injury further and dropped out as a result.

Either way, Davis’ status continues to complicate things for the Bears in practice. He is their most experienced offensive line starter and has now spent more than a week on the sideline, making it more difficult for the Bears offense and rookie quarterback Caleb Williams to establish chemistry as they build toward the 2024 regular-season opener.

In his absence, the Bears have rotated in veterans Ryan Bates and Bill Murray at the right guard spot, but the team wants Bates to compete for the starting center job with Coleman Shelton and will have a difficult time testing him at center while Davis is out.

The Bears have a scheduled off day from practice on Monday, August 5, but will return to the practice field on Tuesday, August 6. Their next preseason game — at the Buffalo Bills — is scheduled for 1 p.m. Eastern Time on Saturday, August 10.

Teven Jenkins & Darnell Wright Also Battling Injuries

The Bears had more problems with their offensive line than just Davis on August 4. The team also practiced without left guard Teven Jenkins and right tackle Darnell Wright, who both nursed injuries on the sideline and left the Bears to makeshift a new line.

Wright — the No. 10 overall pick in 2023 — has now missed three consecutive practices with an unspecified injury. To make matters worse, Wright had gotten off to a rough start in his second camp in Chicago with multiple Bears beat reporters noting that he has struggled to keep star pass rusher Montez Sweat away from Williams in practice.

The Bears also pulled Jenkins — who has dealt with injury troubles in the past — out of August 4’s practice after the team’s stretching period. Like with Wright and Davis, it is unknown what type of injury is troubling Jenkins; though, it remains possible that the Bears are simply showing an abundance of caution with key members of their line.

Without three of their starters, the Bears ran with a first-team offensive line that consisted of Braxton Jones (left tackle), Jerome Carvin (left guard), Shelton (center), Bates (right guard) and Matt Pryor (right tackle) and struggled immensely in practice.

Bears Remain ‘Hopeful’ That O-Linemen Return Soon

The Bears offense looked ugly running with a backup-filled offensive line during August 4’s practice, but head coach Matt Eberflus recently expressed optimism that several of their injured players — both on the offensive and defensive lines — will return soon.

“We’re hopeful on a lot of guys,” Eberflus said on August 3, looking ahead to the next day’s practice. “Hopefully, we’ll get some guys on the O-line and D-line back.”

The Bears are in a tricky spot with injuries to multiple members of their offensive line. They will naturally want to take it slow and avoid overdoing it with essential starters with more than a month left until the start of the regular season, but they also need those starters to get more time on the field together with Williams and the offense.

Perhaps the Bears will find themselves in a better place following the off day when they return to padded practice again on August 6.