Report: Bears sign former Titans guard Nate Davis
The Bears are signing former Tennessee Titans offensive guard Nate Davis to a three-year, $30 million contract, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
The 26-year-old former third-round draft pick has started 54 games over the past four seasons for the Titans. He played right guard in Tennessee.
It's unclear how the Bears will reshuffle their offensive line with Davis in the mix. The offensive line found some consistency with veteran Cody Whitehair at left guard and second-year pro Teven Jenkins at right guard during the 2022 season.
Signing Davis could mean Jenkins is being relegated back to a reserve role. Or it could indicate the Bears might be ready to move on from the 30-year-old Whitehair, who is under contract through 2024 and due to be paid $14 million this season.
Broncos swoop in, sign McGlinchey:
The Bears seemed to be hopeful that a deal with former San Francisco 49ers right tackle Mike McGlinchey could materialize Monday. The two sides were "talking and hoping to get a deal done," according to ESPN's Dianna Russini on Monday morning.
Within an hour, however, that changed. Russini later reported that the Broncos were also holding discussions with the 28-year-old McGlinchey. At 12:20 p.m., Russini reported that McGlinchey to the Broncos was a done deal.
McGlinchey is widely considered one of the top right tackles on the free agent market. He was the ninth overall draft pick coming out of Notre Dame in 2018. He spent the first five years of his NFL career in San Francisco, starting 69 games, mostly at right tackle.
McGlinchey might have been the best run-blocking tackle on the free agent market this year. He played in a similar offensive scheme in San Francisco to what Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy is trying to emulate in Chicago. The Bears also have a need at right tackle. Last season, second-year tackle Larry Borom and 11-year veteran Riley Reiff split time starting at right tackle.
But the Bears were forced to pivot after the Broncos swooped in.
The NFL Network reported that the deal between McGlinchey and the Broncos was for five years and $87.5 million, with $50 million guaranteed. That $17.5 million annual salary is about what was expected for a top-end right tackle, but a five-year deal for a 28-year-old might've been a bit surprising.
Bears GM Ryan Poles has been adamant that he would be selective in free agency and use caution when signing deals that could impact his team well into the future.
"We don't waste this opportunity and do something that's not sound, that doesn't allow us to have this flexibility in years to come," Poles said last month at the NFL Combine. "So that's the balance: Take advantage of now, but still not trying to hurt you do the road."
Committing $17.5 million per year to a tackle who will be 32 in the final year of the contract seems to be exactly the type of deal Poles is trying to avoid.