After two disastrous seasons, the Chicago Bears finally cut offensive lineman Nate Davis. A third-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, Davis spent the first four years of his career establishing himself as a solid starter for the Tennessee Titans. Making the playoffs three times while clearing run lanes for Derrick Henry, Davis never made a Pro Bowl with the Titans but played well enough to earn a three-year, $30 million deal with the Chicago Bears. In theory, the Charlotte product was supposed to provide adequate protection for then-quarterback Justin Fields as he tried to establish himself as the future in Chicago.
Unfortunately, the signing did not go according to plan. Davis was one of the NFL’s worst guards in 2023 and didn’t improve in 2024. After entering the season as the starter, Chicago benched him after just two games. After being unable to find a trade partner, Chicago cut their losses and parted ways with the big-money signing. Davis’ reputation took a hit with the Bears, but this might not be the end of the road for him. While nobody will take on his previous contract, a team like the Baltimore Ravens or Los Angeles Chargers could bring him in on a cheap one-year deal for the remainder of the season.
Ravens, Chargers Could Sign Nate Davis After Unceremonious Cut
The Baltimore Ravens have one of the league’s most dangerous rosters and appear ready for yet another deep playoff run. While the defense is questionable, the elite offense is more than capable of winning games on their own. Quarterback Lamar Jackson is in the midst of yet another MVP-caliber campaign, Derrick Henry leads the league in basically every rushing statistic imaginable, and the supporting cast of Zay Flowers and Mark Andrews are good enough to complement this offense. This unit can go blow for blow with any team in the league, but the offensive line is a small weakness.
After losing starting guards John Simpson and Pro Bowler Kevin Zeitler in the offseason, Baltimore entrusted homegrown players like Patrick Mekari, Andrew Vorhees, and Daniel Faalele to fill those roles. While Mekari is making the most of his opportunity, Faalele and Vorhees leave something to be desired. The Ravens could use another body, and head coach John Harbaugh made it clear that Ben Cleveland will not be their savior. Maybe Nate Davis doesn’t have anything left in his tank, but it can’t hurt to sign the recently cut veteran to the practice squad and see what happens.
Winning in the Trenches
Everything is starting to click for the Los Angeles Chargers. At 6-3, the team controls their playoff destiny as Justin Herbert plays the best football of his career while complementing a strong, reliable defense. This formula should bring the Chargers into January, but an old-school coach like Jim Harbaugh should try and bolster the offensive line between now and the playoffs. Rashawn Slater and first-round pick Joe Alt form one of the league’s top tackle duos, but the interior offensive line needs some work.
Former first-round pick Zion Johnson is a solid starter, but Trey Pipkins is not holding up his end of the bargain. As of this posting, the sixth-year veteran’s 60.0 PFF grade ranks 50th out of 77 eligible players. The Titans version of Nate Davis could easily outplay Pipkins, and the cut veteran should cost next to nothing on the open market. Run-heavy teams like the Chargers value guards more than your average organization, so finding an upgrade at this point in the season could be the difference between winning and losing a close postseason matchup.
Main Photo: Troy Taormina – USA Today Sports
