Nate Davis Practicing and Ready to Prove Himself to the World

Nate Davis didn't exactly go out of his way to provide candor but the starting right guard is practicing after getting over an injury and his job competition is sitting out injured

Nate Davis Says Hes Ready for Game Reps.mp4 /

All of the grumbling on social media about Nate Davis' unavailability doesn't mean too much when he says he isn't reading it.

It won't mean anything if Davis continues practicing as he has this week and wins the starting Bears right guard position.

"My focus is just on the building, on the players and our coaching staff and whatever they ask me to do," Davis said after Thursday's rain-splashed practice with Cincinnati. "Like I said, I really don't pay attention to the outside word just what's happening right in front of me in this building."

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It's a good thing because the words haven't been kind for Davis, who missed a big chunk of last year with injuries and personal issues and started this training camp with a soft tissue injury after he had missed almost all of the offseason work.

"Once again, my mentality is to take it day by day," Davis said. "I felt support from the coaching staff. I felt support from players so it's been awesome."

If Matt Pryor is going to play like this every week Nate Davis might not even make the roster*

(*Not really he's too expensive to cut) pic.twitter.com/tqOGkDWZav

— Chicago Football Connection (@CFCBears) August 11, 2024

Davis appeared headed for the bench until the past week. Center and guard starting candidate Ryan Bates was practicing in Davis' place and seemed positioned to win that spot, but then he went out with an injury and hasn't practiced since.

The Bears don't describe preseason injuries except to note severity and on Thursday coach Matt Eberflus said Davis' competition for that position is out on a "week to week" basis. That means it's a more serious injury and Davis will have all the reps he can handle.

Nate Davis NEEDS to hear this part!!! https://t.co/fwya4EYA7b pic.twitter.com/dWD5R37VjL

— SikWitIt 😈😷 (@_sikwitit) August 13, 2024

Davis seemed over his soft tissue injury last week and then had to return to the rehab room and miss practice.

"Yeah, just a little tweak. That was really it," he said.

Then Eberflus said it's his opinion players can lose positions while injured, contrary to a popular notion in football and many sports.

Now Davis is back and has a goal.

"Yeah, just to show the world the type of player I really am, especially when I'm healthy," Davis said. "So when the mind is right, the body is good, I know I am a special player. I'm just excited to showcase that."

"So when the mind is right, the body is good, I know I am a special player. I'm just excited to showcase that."

- Nate Davis, Bears guard

The Bears thought this when they signed him for three years and $30 million in 2023.

Then came the missed games and missed practices. The social media criticism focused on how Davis wasn't practicing, but he maintains he has nothing against practice.

Nate Davis at the podium pic.twitter.com/JD2q05DMUa

— MKE (@MKE1289) August 15, 2024

"Not at all. 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," he said. "Stuff happens. Gotta continue to move on."

While coach Matt Eberflus seemed to challenge Davis with his comments earlier in the week about how jobs can be lost by injured players, he also hasn't decided anything yet about the center and right guard starting spots.

"Like we said, I think it’s important that we keep and open mind here," Eberflus said. "It’s not the end of training camp yet so we keep an open mind.

"What’s the health of (OL Ryan) Bates, that’s going to be a factor in that. Davis also staying healthy, (OL) Matt (Pryor) progressing in that spot as well and doing a nice job last week in the Buffalo game and in the practice. I think we make that decision as fast as we can, but you also take your process and make the right decision."

Twitter: BearsOnSI