Guard Nate Davis is day-to-day after missing most of practice Saturday with an injury. It’s precautionary, for now. Center Ryan Bates replaced Davis, with Coleman Shelton playing center.
“When a guy strains something we always pull him to make sure he can get the full rest for that day and the get him back to the next practice as fast as we can,” coach Matt Eberflus said.
Davis was in and out of the lineup in the offseason, training camp and the regular season last year after signing a three-year, $30 million contract in free agency, Davis fully participated in the first six practices of training camp. Eberflus’ response to a question about Davis’ dependability indicated the Bears will not have a ton of patience for an extended absence.
“Availability is everything in this league,” Eberflus said. “So you’ve got to be available to practice and be able to go through hard in terms of doing hard better during training camp. That’s all part of preparing for the first part of the season. To callous yourself, that’s your individual responsibility to the football team. And when you’re not out there, guess what? That doesn’t happen.
“Sometimes a guy gets injured and that’s the way it goes. But they have to get back as fast as possible because to me there’s a lot of competition on this roster.”
Caleb to sit?
Eberflus said he would announce Tuesday whether rookie quarterback Caleb Williams would play in the preseason opener against the Titans in the Hall of Fame Game on Thursday. Williams is expected to sit, or get token snaps at best, in the game.
Hands off the QB
Quarterbacks are not to be touched in practice, and that goes for everybody — especially when its Williams. Defensive end Montez Sweat was pulled from one drill after stripping the ball from Williams.
“He knows he should not do that,” Eberflus said. “I threw him out of the drill. Then I pulled him aside and said, ‘Look — you cannot do that.’ You’d be sick if something happens, OK?’ And he understands that. He’s good enough to be able to stop and move away. He’s got to be disciplined that way and he will in the future.”
Eberflus: My bad
Eberflus thanked Bears fans for coming out to Saturday’s practice — the second of nine that are open to the public. But he also apologized for holding team periods on the near field at Halas Hall — an entire width of a field away from the fans in the east stands.
“We have to think forward for that so it’s a better experience for the fans,” Eberflus said.
Nick Saban’s words of wisdom
Though Eberflus and Nick Saban are defensive coaches, developing quarterbacks was a major topic when they met Tuesday at Halas Hall. Four consecutive Alabama quarterbacks under Saban are in the NFL — Jalen Hurts (Eagles), Tua Tagovailoa (Dolphins), Mac Jones (Patriots) and Bryce Young (Panthers).
Saban, who retired after winning six national championships in 17 seasons at Alabama, was Eberflus’ head coach at Toledo in 1990.
“Our conversations were on leadership of the football team and his process and his rhythm of working with a quarterback — with Tua and Jalen — and what was his experience during the camp phase of it,” Eberflus said.
“I gleaned a lot of information and wisdom from him and it was great to see him. He’s a special man and a special leader. We talked a little bit about family, and of course we ended up spending about 30 minutes talking about coverages. That’s something we always do.”