Should Seahawks Take Flier on Veteran G Nate Davis?

Injuries and inconsistent play prevented Nate Davis from meeting expectations in Chicago, but he may still offer an upgrade for the line-needy Seahawks.

Dec 10, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears offensive lineman Nate Davis (64) blocks against the Detroit Lions at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images / Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images

At the forefront of the team's struggles losing five of their past six games and falling into last place in the NFC West standings, the Seattle Seahawks have received generally poor play from their guards thus far this season.

On the left side, veteran Laken Tomlinson has allowed 19 pressures and two sacks in nine starts and ranks 20th out of 57 guards in run block grade according to Pro Football Focus. Across from him, Anthony Bradford hasn't taken the step forward Seattle hoped he would in his second season, allowing a league-high five sacks so far and committing a league-worst nine penalties in nine starts, but rookie Christian Haynes hasn't been able to usurp him in the starting lineup.

Ranked near the bottom of the NFL in rushing and often failing to keep quarterback Geno Smith clean from immediate pressure, the Seahawks should be all over any opportunity to try to land a midseason upgrade. After being waived by the Bears on Wednesday, Nate Davis may present the best option they will have at this stage of the season to bolster their offensive line.

Originally a third-round pick out of Charlotte by the Titans in 2019, Davis signed a three-year, $30 million contract with the Bears in 2023, but he failed to live up to that lucrative deal in large part due to injuries. He started only 11 out of 17 games in his first season in the Windy City, allowing 29 pressures and a sack while posting an underwhelming 95.7 percent pass block efficiency rate.

This season, the 28-year old Davis lost his starting job after a rough Week 2 outing against the Texans where he allowed four pressures and a sack. Since then, he has been a healthy scratch for multiple games and last Sunday, the team held him out due to back tightness. In five games, he allowed six pressures and a sack on 93 pass blocking snaps, once again posting a sub-96 percent pass block efficiency rate.

Given his recent struggles in Chicago and prior injury history, it would be easy to dismiss the idea of Davis being an upgrade for Seattle's offensive line, especially if the team claimed him off waivers and was suddenly on the hook for the remainder of his $3.9 million salary this season. With a cap hit exceeding $11 million next season, nobody would blame general manager John Schneider for choosing not to put in a waiver claim.

But before joining the Bears, who have operated like a glorified dumpster fire over the past several years on offense, Davis earned a reputation as one of the best run blocking guards in football playing for the Titans. Helping open up run lanes for Derrick Henry in Nashville, the 6-3, 315-pound mauler received at least a 69.8 run blocking grade from PFF in three consecutive seasons from 2020 to 2022, playing a key role in top five finishes in rushing yards in 2020 and 2021.

Even in pass protection, an area where the Maine native has had far more issues throughout his NFL career, Davis made marked improvements in his final season in Tennessee, allowing 14 pressures and three sacks with a stellar 97.6 pass block efficiency rate. In two of his seasons with the Titans, his pass blocking efficiency rate eclipsed 97 percent, a mark that Seattle would be the thrilled to have from a guard right now.

Still just a game and a half out of first place in the NFC West, the Seahawks would be foolish to not at least kick the tires on Davis if he clears waivers and they have an opportunity to sign him on a veteran minimum deal for the rest of the season. When healthy, he has a solid track record in the run blocking department and though pass blocking isn't his greatest strength, he still has been significantly better than Bradford for most of his six-year career.

If Seattle is serious about getting back into the division and playoff race, assuming Davis passes through waivers due to his hefty contract, the organization should be all over the chance to bring in an experienced, physical guard who can add some toughness and nastiness to their maligned offensive line. Even if he's only a mid-level starter at this point at best, that's still a substantial improvement from what the team has been rolling out on a weekly basis.

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