LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Nate Davis is ready to show Chicago what he’s all about. The embattled right guard has not seen the field much since signing a three-year, $30 million contract with the Bears last offseason, and as a result he’s become a lightning rod for fans.
Davis says he doesn’t pay attention to outside perceptions about his game, though.
“My focus is just on the building, on the players and our coaching staff and whatever they ask me to do,” Davis said.
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Davis still believes he can do his job at a high level, even though he struggled in the 11 games he started in 2023. Last year, Davis surrendered a pressure on 14% of true pass sets, according to PFF. That was by far the most among Bears guards. By comparison, Teven Jenkins gave up a 7.3% pressure rate, Cody Whitehair allowed pressure 8.3% of the time and Ja’Tyre Carter clocked in at 9.1%, per PFF.
“When the mind is right, the body is good, I know I am a special player,” Davis said. “I'm just excited to showcase that.”
And for folks who say he hasn’t dedicated himself fully to practice and getting better:
“I've been in this league for a long time and I don't think I'd be able to do what I did without practicing. Stuff happens.”
NFL
Teammates have praised Davis’s work when he’s on the field, but he has hardly been on the field this summer as he’s battled an undisclosed nagging injury. A couple of weeks ago it looked like Davis was ramping back up to practice in full again, but before he made it back to team drills he ramped back down. He suffered a setback.
“Just a little tweak,” Davis said. “That was really it.”
Davis finally improved enough to be a full participant in practice earlier this week and says he’s good to go now. But he no longer has a complete grip on the starting job. The line from the Bears has changed from “Nate’s our starting right guard” to “It’s an open competition.”
“People say you can’t lose a job because of injury. I don’t think that’s true,” said head coach Matt Eberflus earlier this month. “I think if the guy that’s playing there gives our team a good look and a good benefit for him being in that position, then it’s a competition. Or the other guy could take it over. That’s not just at guard. That’s at all positions.”
Despite the public challenge, Davis said he’s felt supported from the coaches and teammates. He said they’ve continued to guide him throughout his injury and encouraged him to stay positive no matter what.
“I can just lean on those guys.”
Bears fans likely won’t give Davis the benefit of the doubt until he gets on the field and consistently plays at a high level. For the first time this year, Davis will get a chance to do that this Saturday.