When the Chicago Bears drafted David Montgomery in the 3rd round, pretty much everybody forgot about Mike Davis. The team handed the free agent a $6 million deal for two years. That sort of investment may seem minor compared to others on the market, but it’s a signal that the team has plans for him in this offense.
This isn’t a surprise. Davis has a particular skill set that should mesh well in Matt Nagy’s system. His ability to run between the guards and consistently catch passes out of the backfield are features they’ll like. Even so, he’s only had one notable season as a runner. So who exactly are they getting?
Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune checked in on Mully & Haugh on 670 The Score. The conversation centered around the position switches involving James Daniels, Cody Whitehair, and Bradley Sowell. However, without being prompted he singled Davis out by name and compared him to a former fan favorite.
“Mike Davis, the running back guys, saw him yesterday. I’m not saying that he’s going to play like [it] but physique-wise, this is the back that will most remind people of Thomas Jones since Jones left the Bears.”
Mike Davis plays like someone who stays in shape like Jones
It’s interesting that Biggs makes that comparison. Davis has had a career path similar to Jones. Somewhat anyway. Jones was drafted 7th overall by Arizona and spent three years there as a part-time player. He went to Tampa Bay for a year where he still didn’t get much of a chance. Not until 2004 when he signed with Chicago did he find a team willing to feed him the ball. He ended up with over 2,500 yards between 2005 and 2006.
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Davis is a former 4th round pick who never got to play for two years in San Francisco. He went to Seattle in 2017 and finally worked his way into the lineup where he averaged 4.6 yards per carry last season. They’re both also around the same exact size. Jones was 5’10, 212 lbs. Davis is 5’9, 217 lbs. By the sound of things, both keep themselves in top physical condition.
That was a trademark of Jones, who was rumored to have a ridiculously strong handshake and was physically cut. If Davis is like that as Biggs says, then it will be interesting how involved the Bears try to get him in their offense.
