Chicago Bears Offensive Line Gets Sorely-Needed Upgrade
Ryan Poles is doing some solid work on offense right now. It started with the addition of D.J. Moore at wide receiver, giving Justin Fields a desperately-needed weapon. Now the Chicago Bears offensive line is getting some love. Reports surfaced that veteran guard Nate Davis, formerly of the Tennessee Titans, will be signing with the team. Davis allowed only 14 pressures on the quarterback last season and was also a more than passable run blocker. He’s 26 years old and athletic enough to fit their offense well.
His greatest strength is run blocking. Derrick Henry had lots of success running behind the right guard the past couple of seasons. Davis is physical and carries a nasty temperament with him on every snap. It is hardly a surprise the Bears like him. He fits exactly what they want. His pass protection improvement is a bonus. The lingering question will be where he plays. He was a right guard in Tennessee. Does that mean he’s moving to left guard to replace Cody Whitehair, or is Tevin Jenkins going to move there from right guard? A lot to sort through.
The Chicago Bears offensive line will feast.
Protecting Fields is a priority, but the team appears intent on maintaining their identity. They were a dominant rushing offense last year. Fields seemed to thrive in it. The trick is keeping that personality while improving the protection. Davis is a step in the right direction. They still need to find solutions at center and right tackle. Those could be forthcoming in the draft. Either way, Poles has stuck to his original promise that he wanted to keep building the trenches with guys that are athletic and violent.
That is Davis.
The Chicago Bears offensive line is the group everybody has circled. Its improvement will determine how far this team can go in 2023. Davis and Jenkins at the guard spots give them two athletic bruisers with attitude. Teams won’t like playing against them. It will certainly help against some of the tough defensive tackles they have to play in this division. If they can solidify the center spot, the Bears’ interior will be rugged.