Matt Eberflus pretty much made it official on Friday. The offensive line alignment they went with last Sunday in Indianapolis would remain the same for this week against Los Angeles. That means veteran Matt Pryor would start at right guard, confirming that Nate Davis is benched. There is no injury to hide behind. He practiced in full on Thursday and Friday. Under normal circumstances, he’d play. The fact he isn’t should tell you everything you need to know about what the Chicago Bears think of him.
They would rather go with a less athletic option like Pryor, who at least gives it everything he has, than persist with giving him countless chances.
One would think his rough showings against Tennessee and Houston were the final straw for the Bears. In truth, that moment came the month before. Insider Bill Zimmerman of Windy City Gridiron revealed that many inside Halas Hall were irate that Davis barely practiced in training camp. This forced them to shift Ryan Bates, who they wanted to play center, over to guard while Coleman Shelton manned the middle. His inability to stay on the field ruined their plans.
The Bears GM has said he doesn’t like relying on free agency to fill key needs on the roster. That didn’t stop him from handing Davis a lucrative three-year contract to bolster the offensive line. A major concern with free agents is it’s almost impossible to gauge their personal motivations because, unlike draft prospects, you can’t interview them beforehand. It is a complete shot in the dark where you base everything on past performance. This is why so many teams end up with regrettable contracts. Many players lose their motivation after finally getting their money.
Nate Davis falls into that category. He might have a case for the worst free agent signing in Bears history. Mike Glennon may still have the edge, but it’s close. D’Andre Swift could soon enter the conversation if his current funk continues. Whatever the case, this decision felt inevitable for some time. Once Bates returns, he will likely assume the center job or replace Pryor at right guard. There is no way Davis sees the field again unless another injury occurs.
