“BEARS’ BLOCKBUSTER TRADE PROPOSAL COULD DUMP $30 MILLION BENCHED STAR ON COLTS!”

The Chicago Bears may still find a way to utilize former starter Nate Davis and the remaining $30 million of his 2024 contract—if they can secure a trade before the upcoming NFL trade deadline.

Davis has fallen out of favor with the Bears during the first six weeks of the season. He lost his starting role at right guard to veteran Matt Pryor ahead of Week 3’s matchup against the Indianapolis Colts. By Week 6, during the Bears’ game in London, Davis was further demoted, with Bill Murray being activated in his place.

Despite Davis’ benching, the Bears appear confident in their interior offensive line depth without him. However, teams in need of interior line help may be interested in the 28-year-old guard’s experience ahead of the October 5 trade deadline.

Bleacher Report’s Scouting Department has suggested that the Indianapolis Colts consider trading for Nate Davis as a replacement for starting right guard Will Fries, who was placed on injured reserve on October 7 following tibia surgery.

In an October 14 report, BR’s Scouting Department noted, “Nate Davis was just benched in Chicago. The Bears might be willing to part with the veteran after he failed to live up to his contract. While it’s not the most ideal scenario for the Colts, Davis is at least an experienced veteran with a decent baseline of production.” Given the Colts’ need for help on the offensive line, Davis could be a viable option despite his recent struggles with the Bears.

The Chicago Bears left Nate Davis inactive during their win over the Jaguars, raising questions about his future with the team. If the Indianapolis Colts were to show interest, the Bears likely wouldn’t demand a high trade price, potentially accepting a late Day 3 draft pick just to offload the financial burden of Davis’ contract, which runs through 2025.

The bigger issue is why any team would consider trading for Davis. While Davis has started 67 of his 71 career games since being drafted in the third round in 2019, his current situation raises concerns. Despite his experience, the fact that the Bears have benched him—even with inconsistent play on the interior line and his hefty $11.35 million cap hit for the 2024 season—suggests a lack of confidence in his performance.

The most telling sign of Nate Davis’ diminished value is the Bears’ recent choice to keep him inactive for Week 6’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Although he had already lost his starting position, the Bears opted to trust Bill Murray—who had just played his first NFL game in Week 5—over Davis as their backup guard.

While a team like the Colts might be desperate enough to take a chance on Davis, it’s difficult to see any team viewing his current situation in Chicago as a reason to acquire him. The Bears’ lack of faith in Davis, despite his previous experience, raises significant doubts about his value in the trade market.

Could the Bears consider releasing Nate Davis instead of keeping him on the roster? The team has already taken steps to make him less relevant on the offensive line, and it could become even easier to sit him after their bye week in Week 8.

As of October 15, both guard/center Ryan Bates and offensive tackle Larry Borom are eligible to be activated from injured reserve. Although the Bears haven’t designated either player to return to practice—the first step in the activation process—they will have about two weeks to make that decision before their next game. If they choose to activate Bates before the Week 8 matchup against the Washington Commanders, the Bears could find themselves with no justification for keeping Davis active on game days. This situation raises the question: Should the Bears simply release him?

While cutting Davis wouldn’t save the Bears much immediate salary cap space, it could be seen as the best decision if they want to utilize his roster spot for someone who can contribute more effectively. Additionally, releasing him now would save the Bears $9.5 million against the salary cap in 2025, which they would also save if they wait until the offseason.

Moreover, if the Bears feel Davis is negatively affecting team culture, that could justify a release. The Athletic’s Adam Hoge reported in September that the team had become “frustrated” with Davis’ practice habits, indicating he is not committed to practice. If Davis isn’t performing well enough to play and has attitude issues, the Bears might opt to part ways, similar to how they handled wide receiver Chase Claypool during the 2023 season.