Bears Make Move at OL as Nate Davis Trade Rumors Heat Up

Getty Nate Davis #64 of the Chicago Bears reacts after being injured against the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field on October 15, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

The Chicago Bears have officially opened the 21-day practice window for interior offensive lineman Ryan Bates to return from the injured reserve list, giving credence to the NFL rumors that the team is looking to trade Nate Davis.

Trade speculation about Davis has been building since the team benched him from its offensive line rotation in Week 6’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. While Davis opened the season as their starting right guard, the Bears demoted him to the backup role for Week 3’s game in Indianapolis and have since made him a healthy scratch in each of their last two games, signaling their unhappiness with the $30 million veteran.

Now, according to multiple insiders, the Bears are actively shopping Davis on the trade market ahead of the November 5 deadline. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on October 19 that Davis is drawing interest on the market from other teams, while ESPN’s Jeremey Fowler has now twice written that the Bears are willing to cover a portion of Davis’ contract — which includes a $8.75 million base salary — to facilitate a trade.

The Bears’ willingness to trade Davis indicates the obvious: the team has grown tired of his lackluster performance and bad practice habits. Returning Bates to practice, though, should embolden the Bears to take the next step and formally move on from Davis, who has proven to be the worst free agent signing of general manager Ryan Poles’ tenure.

The NFL trade deadline is set for 4 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, November 5.

Nate Davis Trade Remains Best-Case Scenario for Bears

Davis is an intriguing trade candidate for the Bears, not because it is debatable whether the team should ditch him but rather because it is surprising he has trade value at all.

Davis signed a three-year, $30 million contract with the Bears during 2023 free agency, becoming one of Poles’ first splashy signings. He had started 54 games at guard in his first four seasons with the Tennessee Titans and seemed like he could be a stabilizing piece for the Bears’ offensive line as they looked to rebuild it into a sturdier unit.

Davis, however, let down expectations in his first season with Chicago. He missed six games along with the majority of training camp with injuries and a personal matter that kept him away from the team. His play also did not live up to the value of his contract; though, there was optimism he would rebound in the second year of his deal in 2024.

Instead, Davis continued to disappoint. He missed another chunk of camp practice in 2024, which — according to The Athletic’s Adam Hoge — led to “frustrations” from the Bears about Davis’ practice habits. The Bears then tried to bench him from their lineup in the first week of the season, rotating him with Bates at right guard while giving Bates the larger snap count. The change might have stuck, too, if Bates had not gotten hurt.

Ultimately, the Bears found another way to remove Davis from their lineup, but their unwillingness to play him makes it obvious that they do not intend to keep him on their roster for the final year of his contract in 2025. And if that’s the case, then the Bears would be wise to get anything — literally anything — for Davis while they have a chance.

Could Bears OL Injuries Shut Down Nate Davis Trade?

The Bears’ interest in trading Davis sounds excellent on paper, but the injuries the team sustained to its offensive line in Week 8’s loss to Washington could change their plans.

The Bears had several offensive linemen exit early with injuries in Sunday’s 18-15 loss to the Commanders, including starters Braxton Jones (knee) and Teven Jenkins (knee). They also lost third-round rookie Kiran Amegadjie to a calf injury and backup guard Bill Murray to a chest injury — one that landed him on injured reserve on October 29.

Ahead of October 30’s practice, Bears head coach Matt Eberflus left the door open for Jones and Jenkins to play in their next game against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 9, but he added that Amegadjie is unlikely to play in the game. The Bears must also still officially activate Bates to the 53-man roster for him to play again — and, if they don’t, they will have little choice but to turn back to Davis as their primary backup guard.