Getty Bears right guard Nate Davis.
The Chicago Bears sounds as though they could rotate right guards once again when they face the Indianapolis Colts in Week 3, which could mean trouble for much-maligned starter Nate Davis amid his rough start to the 2024 season.
Bears head coach Matt Eberflus glowed about veteran offensive lineman Matt Pryor following September 20’s final practice of Week 3. He even went as far as to suggest Pryor could be “working in there with Nate” at right guard on Sunday against the Colts.
“He’s really improved,” Eberflus said Friday. “He’s one of our most improved linemen.
“We really see improvement in him and what he’s brought to the table in terms of his work ethic, his energy and what he brings there, too as a teammate. Super excited for him if he’s working there with Nate or whatever that might be, we’ll see in terms of getting closer to the game, but he’s really had a good work week.”
Eberflus’ suggestion that the Bears could rotate right guards again is not a good sign for Davis’ status with the team. The Bears seemed to be leaning away from him in Week 1 when they gave Ryan Bates more snaps than him at the position, but they quickly lost that option when Bates emerged from the game with an arthritic issue in his shoulder that forced them to place him on injured reserve, sidelining him until at least Week 6.
If the Bears do rotate in Pryor at right guard on Sunday, the 29-year-old could have an opportunity to win the starting job away from Davis permanently if he performs well.
Injuries Could Determine If & Where Matt Pryor Plays
The Bears also have Davis’ persistent groin injury to consider when making decisions about their right guard rotation for Sunday’s matchup with the Colts.
Eberflus said Davis “tweaked” his groin again during Wednesday’s practice after he previously dealt with groin issues in training camp that sidelined him for several practices. The team limited Davis in all three practices in Week 3 and officially listed him as questionable to play against the Colts on its final injury report.
Even if the training staff clears Davis to play, the Bears may still insist on rotating him with Pryor at right guard. A rotation not only helps the Bears minimize the chances of Davis developing long-term issues with his groin, but it also gives them a convenient opportunity to see how Pryor performs — useful intel if they decide to make a switch.
The Bears could also play Pryor at left guard against the Colts. He filled in some at the position for starter Teven Jenkins, whom the Bears held out on Wednesday and limited on Thursday to help him recover from a deep thigh bruise. Jenkins, however, does not have an injury designation on the report and participated fully in Friday’s last practice.
Bears Also Rule Out 4 More on Injury Report vs. Colts
In addition to designating Davis as questionable, the Bears also made four other injury determinations when they issued their final injury report for Week 3’s game on Friday.
The Bears have ruled out wide receiver Keenan Allen (heel/personal), fullback Khari Blasingame (hand/knee), running back Travis Homer (finger) and defensive tackle Zacch Pickens (groin) for Sunday’s game against the Colts. The team had limited seven other players during the week of practice but cleared all of them without a designation.
Eberflus added context for two of the ruled-out players. He said that while Allen’s heel is improving, he had a personal reason (not listed on the report) that would contribute to him missing Week 3’s game. He added that Allen would not travel with the team.
Meanwhile, Eberflus also revealed that the team plans to place Homer on the injured reserve list after he injured his finger in practice. He will need to undergo surgery.
The Bears (1-1) will face the Colts (0-2) at 1 p.m. Eastern Time on September 22.
