6 Bears on Thin Ice Heading Into the NFL Draft

5. Nate Davis, Guard

Chicago was very active in the 2023 offseason as they looked to fix their roster. They not only added D.J. Moore in a trade with the Carolina Panthers — which led to them getting the first overall pick as well this year — but they signed some high-profile free agents including Tremaine Edmunds and Nate Davis.

Davis, the 6-foot-3, 316 pound guard from Charlotte, signed a three-year deal worth $30 million after spending the first four seasons of his career with the Tennessee Titans. Chicago had hopes of him shoring up their struggling offensive line but that wasn't the case last year.

The Bears saw some improvement on the line with Braxton Jones and Teven Jenkins playing well on the left side. On the right side, rookie Darnell Wright had some growing pains while Davis struggled mightily.

He went from the 17th highest-ranked guard according to Pro Football Focus in 2022 to the 58th in 2023. He struggled in both facets of the game but pass blocking was especially problematic for him.

Davis won't be released this offseason due to his contract but they could easily move on from him in 2025 with a dead cap hit of $2 million and $9 million in savings. With the 2024 Draft class loaded with offensive line talent, the Bears might be tempted to draft someone who could push Davis — leading to either improved play from the veteran or a new starter down the road.