Tag: Nate Davis

Should the Seahawks claim G Nate Davis off waivers?

Should the Seahawks claim G Nate Davis off waivers?

The right guard position has been a massive weakness for the Seattle Seahawks’ offense this season. Starting blocker Anthony Bradford has struggled all season long. Pro Football Focus has credited Bradford with allowing five sacks and being whistled for nine penalties. He unfortunately leads all guards in both categories.

Despite his lackluster showings, rookie Christian Haynes has been unable to permanently dethrone him. Haynes has received opportunities to rotate into the lineup, but the first-year guard hasn’t provided the offense with an upgrade. The former UConn standout has earned an overall grade of 48.0 from PFF for his sporadic performances.

A potential solution hit the waiver wire on Wednesday morning. The Chicago Bears released Nate Davis from his contract. The move arrives halfway into a disastrous three-year, $30 million contract signed in free agency last offseason.

The Bears ended up paying Davis more than $20.4 million for 13 starts. Davis was routinely injured throughout his tenure with the Bears. His effort level was routinely questioned by the coaching staff and fan base.

Davis has been benched and even a healthy scratch after a lackluster start to his campaign. The veteran Davis, a third-round selection in the 2019 NFL Draft, must clear waivers before reaching free agency. Davis’ high-price contract makes him a near guarantee to pass through waivers, but Seahawks GM John Schneider could consider claiming him.

If Davis clears, the Seahawks would be free to negotiate a brand-new contract with his representation. Bringing in Davis would be a risk given his reputation in Chicago. Given their weekly problem at right guard, would Seattle consider rolling the dice? Time will reveal.

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Broncos projected to finish with a 4-13 record in 2024

“We expect to compete and expect to win,” Sean Payton said when asked about pundits predicting a poor season for the Broncos.

National pundits have very low expectations for the Denver Broncos in 2024, and on paper, it’s hard to blame them.

Eight starters from last season are no longer on the team, including star safety Justin Simmons, talented center Lloyd Cushenberry, key inside linebacker Josey Jewell, wide receiver Jerry Jeudy and quarterback Russell Wilson.

The candidates to replace Wilson are journeyman Jarrett Stidham, 2021 first-round bust Zach Wilson and rookie Bo Nix. Nate Davis of USA TODAY seems to believe Nix will win the starting job, but he doesn’t have much faith in the QB’s supporting cast:

Rookie QB Bo Nix may execute HC Sean Payton’s offense more efficiently than did Wilson, his two-year tenure in the Rockies coming to an abrupt and expensive end in March. But Nix doesn’t appear to have nearly the help that fellow rookies Caleb Williams and even Daniels have in what has all the makings of a reset in Denver – one that may not bear serious fruit for several years.

In his annual NFL record projections piece, Davis has the Broncos finishing with a 4-13 record. Last week, Denver coach Sean Payton was asked about national media members predicting the Broncos will have a poor season.

“If I spent time on that in 2006, we would have never gone to the NFC Championship Game — and I mean that seriously — back in my first year in New Orleans,” Payton said. “I don’t have time to spend time on that, nor do I wish to spend time on that.

“I understand they have a job to do and where we are selected. None of that means anything. It’s stuff to talk about when the media cycle is quiet. We will get ready to play. We expect to compete and expect to win.”

Payton went 8-9 in his first season in Denver last fall. Pundits expect the team to take a step back in 2024. We’ll see if he can prove them wrong.

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Bears’ Teven Jenkins, Nate Davis make PFF’s list of top NFL guards

PFF believes the Bears have two top-32 guards in Teven Jenkins and Nate Davis.

The Chicago Bears have spent the past few years overhauling their offensive line, which is even more important now with a rookie quarterback in Caleb Williams on the roster.

While there are still some question marks, Chicago has a solid tackle duo in Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright. And their interior linemen are also getting some recognition from the media.

Bears guard Teven Jenkins and Nate Davis were ranked among the top 32 guards in the NFL by Pro Football Focus, making Chicago one of 10 teams to have their starting duo on the list.

Jenkins landed at 16th on the list. PFF noted that he’s been slowed down by injuries, as he’s yet to play an entire season in the NFL. Since becoming a second-round pick in 2021, it took a while for him to play with regularity. Making the switch from tackle to guard has helped him reinvent himself with the Bears. Now, he’s looking to prove he’s worthy of an extension in a contract year.

Injuries have slowed Jenkins since he was drafted by the Bears in 2021, with the former second-round pick playing in no more than 13 games in a season since his rookie year. Despite that, Jenkins has shown real potential, earning an 80.7 PFF overall grade in 2022 and a 72.6 mark in 2023.

Jenkins allowed just 17 quarterback pressures in 12 games in 2023, and his 71.7 run-blocking grade ranked 11th among guards. His game is predicated on violence upon contact, and it’ll continue to be that way as he asserts himself as one of the better guards in the NFL.

Davis landed at 26th on the list. He’s entering his second season with the Bears, and the hope is it goes better than his first. Davis was hurt a fair amount and he didn’t perform the way we came to expect as a member of the Tennessee Titans. PFF mentioned that a return to form (and health) in 2024 would mean he is one of the better guards in the league.

Davis has been injury-prone in his five NFL seasons in the NFL, and he featured in just 11 games in his first season with the Chicago Bears. The former Titan wasn’t able to put his best foot forward in 2023, earning a 52.9 PFF overall grade — the second-lowest mark of his career. But Davis was a consistently strong run-blocker in the three seasons preceding 2023, earning a 71.8 run-blocking grade from 2020 to 2022.

A healthy season could see Davis reaffirm his status as a solid guard in the NFL.

Having a solid offensive line is crucial in the NFL, especially with a rookie quarterback under center. With the group that the Bears have, this offensive line could take a big leap forward as some of these guys develop. If they ever find a star at center, it may be one of the top groups in the league.

Normally, Chicago is void of any players on these kinds of lists. The fact that most of them feature multiple Bears players is an encouraging thing. We’ll see what this translates to on the field once the season starts. One thing is for sure, Williams would appreciate a great offensive line. If that happened, he’d have a much easier time hitting the ground running in the NFL.

Bears 2024 minicamp Day 3: Braxton Jones, Nate Davis among those not practicing

The Bears wrapped up their mandatory minicamp on Thursday with a handful of players not participating in team activities.

Mandatory minicamp is officially over for the Chicago Bears as they completed their third and final practice of the week. The Bears had a shorter and lighter practice on Thursday before the veterans break before the summer. A handful of players did not take part in team activities on the field, however.

Offensive tackles Braxton Jones and Kiran Amegadjie and wide receivers Tyler Scott and Dante Pettis missed practice for a second day in a row. Guard Nate Davis was also not participating for the second time this week. Others who were out include cornerback Kyler Gordon, defensive end Austin Booker, and wide receiver Collin Johnson. Bear Report’s Zack Pearson indicates Jones and Gordon were not present at all, while the others were not participating.

Though there were quite a few players not available, head coach Matt Eberflus continued to say it was just precautionary. The Bears veterans won’t be back on the field until sometime in mid-July, while the rookies will take part in one more organized team activity (OTA) next week.

Bears facing uncertainty at right guard amid Nate Davis concerns

Matt Eberflus sounded unsure about how the Bears starting right guard job will shake out amid questions about Nate Davis.

The Chicago Bears are facing questions along the interior offensive that extend beyond the competition at center between newcomers Ryan Bates and Coleman Shelton.

At the center of those concerns is guard Nate Davis, who signed a three-year, $30 million deal last offseason to serve as the team’s starting right guard. But it’s been anything but smooth sailing for the veteran.

Davis, who played in just 11 games in 2023, has been a spectator this offseason during OTAs. But he was back at practice, in limited capacity, on Wednesday as he ramps up after missing OTAs.

This offseason, Davis, Bates and Matt Pryor have split reps at right guard as the team has had to pivot in Davis’ absence. While those opportunities provide flexibility along the offensive line, the frustrating aspect is the Bears paid Davis handsomely, while also forcing another position change on Teven Jenkins.

Bears coach Matt Eberflus said the expectation is Davis will be the team’s starting right guard this season and believes he’ll be ready to go for training camp. But Eberflus didn’t exactly sound confident about how the right guard position will shake out.

“Yeah, don’t know yet,” he said Wednesday. “I really don’t know. We’ll see. We’ll see how it goes. I’m just thinking through my head a bunch of multiple combinations. I really don’t know exactly. Sure, we had Bates there. He’s played there. Shelton has played at center, of course. Davis has played there. (Jenkins) has been on the other side. Pryor has been in and been out. The versatility there has certainly been helpful. Ryan (Poles) did a really good job of having those pieces in there so we don’t like last year or prior years, you know, a guy goes down and we’re like, ‘Oh, what are we going to do?’ At least we have that flexibility at the O-line position.”

At this point, it sounds like the only positions solidified along the offensive line are left tackle Braxton Jones, left guard Teven Jenkins and right tackle Darnell Wright.

Bears 2024 minicamp Day 2: Cole Kmet, Braxton Jones held out of practice

The Bears completed their second minicamp practice, but two starters on offense did not participate.

Day 2 of mandatory minicamp is in the books for the Chicago Bears, and a few prominent veterans on offense who were out there on Tuesday did not practice on Wednesday.

Tight end Cole Kmet and offensive tackle Braxton Jones were held out of practice on Wednesday. Other players who did not participate include wide receivers Tyler Scott and Dante Pettis and offensive tackle Kiran Amegadjie, according to NBC Sports Chicago’s Josh Schrock.

Though Kmet and Jones did not practice, head coach Matt Eberflus said there was no cause for concern as both players were held out for precautionary reasons. “Today, you saw that Cole and Braxton didn’t practice; again, that’s just precautionary,” Eberflus told reporters after practice. “When guys feel a certain way, certain thing, they get with the trainers; just work on that so they can get ready for summer conditioning because that’s coming up here pretty shortly.”

According to CHGO’s Adam Hoge, Kmet got banged up during Tuesday’s practice but still finished the session. Kmet made a nice leaping catch in the middle of the field on a pass from quarterback Caleb Williams during that practice.

Though some players were out, there was good news regarding defensive end Montez Sweat and guard Nate Davis. Both players returned to team drills after they sat out during Tuesday’s practice.

The Bears have just one more day of minicamp before they depart Halas Hall for an extended period of time.

Bears 2024 minicamp: Montez Sweat not practicing in team drills on Day 1

The Bears had perfect attendance to start their mandatory minicamp, but not everyone took part in practice.

The Chicago Bears began their mandatory minicamp on Monday by hitting the field for their first of three practices this week at Halas Hall. The team had perfect attendance, which included the return of veterans such as wide receiver Keenan Allen and cornerback Jaylon Johnson. But not everyone was able to participate on the practice field.

Defensive end Montez Sweat, who also missed voluntary workouts, did not take part in team practice. Fortunately, he was held out only as a precautionary measure as the team evaluates his conditioning level.

“We are checking on Sweat a little bit because we haven’t seen him in physical activity,” head coach Matt Eberflus told the media after practice. “He was in the building for the other stuff, but he’ll hopefully ramp up tomorrow and get some more team reps in there as we go.”

It sure sounds like the Pro Bowl defensive end will be on the field sooner rather than later and that there are no lingering issues that would prevent him from taking part in team drills. The same can’t be said for guard Nate Davis, however.

Davis was the other non-participant on Tuesday, who also did not participate during OTAs either. There was no reason given for his absence.

The Bears will be back on the field Wednesday and Thursday before they take one final break prior to training camp.

Bears OTAs: Keenan Allen, Montez Sweat among those not participating

A few Bears players were not present at Thursday’s OTAs, including Keenan Allen and Montez Sweat.

The Chicago Bears hit the field on Thursday for their third organized team activity (OTA) practice, but it was the first one open to the media, and a few prominent players were absent from the practice field. Wide receiver Keenan Allen, defensive end Montez Sweat, tackle Darnell Wright, guard Nate Davis, and wide receiver Velus Jones were not present. Rookie wide receiver Rome Odunze was in attendance but was not practicing due to a hamstring injury he suffered during rookie minicamp.

Missing two starting wide receivers and the entire right side of the offensive line might have played a role in the offense’s struggles throughout practice. Quarterback Caleb Williams was not sharp on Thursday, missing numerous passes and holding onto the ball too long, according to CHGO’s Nicholas Moreano. Head coach Matt Eberflus isn’t concerned with the attendance, however, and notes that everyone has been in the building at some point during the voluntary offseason program.

Thursday’s practice is the last one for the Bears this week. They will return to Halas Hall on Tuesday, May 28th.

 

Jets move up two spots in latest USA Today power rankings

The Jets were bumped up two spots in Nate Davis’ latest power rankings after their dominant win over the Houston Texans in Week 14.

The Jets pulled off a big upset over the Houston Texans in Week 14 and did so in dominant fashion, scoring a 30-6 win as the defense stuffed Houston’s offense — before and after injuries started taking a toll on the Texans. As a result, the Jets got a positive bump in Nate Davis’ latest power rankings for USA Today.

New York is still near the bottom of the power rankings, but they did at least move two spots away from the bottom after snapping a five-game losing streak. The Jets entered the week at No. 28; they now sit at No. 26.

26. New York Jets (28): Despite the myriad challenges at quarterback during both of his NFL seasons, WR Garrett Wilson projects to finish with 1,115 receiving yards – 12 more than he had in his 2022 Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign.

The Jets can really make a move up the rankings if they pull the upset of the No. 6 Miami Dolphins Sunday. New York is seeking revenge from their 34-13 loss to the Dolphins on Black Friday, the game that included the Fail Mary right before halftime. Miami stayed at No. 6 even after blowing a 14-point lead with less than three minutes left against the Titans Monday.

As for the rest of the AFC East, the Bills move up one spot to No. 8 after their big win at Kansas City while the Patriots sit tight at No. 31 after their win Thursday in Pittsburgh. San Francisco, Dallas, Baltimore, Philadelphia and Kansas City remain the top five with the only movement being the Cowboys jumping ahead of the Ravens and Eagles.

Bears S Eddie Jackson, RG Nate Davis exit Vikings game with injuries

Injuries continue to devastate the Bears, who lost two starters to injury in the first half against the Vikings.

Injuries continue to devastate the Chicago Bears, who lost two starters to injuries in the first half of Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings.

Right guard Nate Davis suffered an ankle injury early in the game. Quarterback Justin Fields was slammed into Davis by a Vikings defender. Both were slow to get up. While Fields was okay, Davis took a cart into the locker room. He was replaced by Ja’Tyre Carter at right guard.

Meanwhile, safety Eddie Jackson reaggravated his foot injury during the first half. Jackson had missed the previous three games with that foot injury suffered against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Elijah Hicks replaced Jackson at safety.

Jackson is questionable to return while Davis has been ruled out with their respective injuries.

The Bears trail the Vikings 12-6 at halftime.