In what could become one of the most compelling subplots of the 2025 NFL offseason, a dramatic twist is taking shape in the NFC North. Sources close to the situation have confirmed that former Detroit Lions linebacker Jarrad Davis is being strongly urged by prominent figures within the Chicago Bears organization to consider signing with the team. The reunion would not only mark a stunning return to the NFC North battlefield but could also have seismic implications for how the division race unfolds this season.
Davis, a former first-round pick by Detroit in 2017, has seen his career fluctuate between brilliance and inconsistency. After productive stints with both the Lions and Jets, Davis spent last season out of football recovering from injuries and recalibrating his future. Now fully healthy and reportedly in peak physical condition, Davis has begun drawing interest from multiple teams — but none more aggressive than the Chicago Bears.
Multiple reports indicate that Chicago’s front office, including head coach Matt Eberflus and defensive coordinator Eric Washington, see Davis as the perfect chess piece in their evolving defensive scheme. With the team placing a strong emphasis on linebacker versatility and sideline-to-sideline speed, the veteran’s athleticism and NFC North experience make him an ideal fit. Eberflus, who has quietly pushed for a tenacious linebacker to complement Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards, is said to be “very enthusiastic” about what Davis could bring to Halas Hall.
But beyond the X’s and O’s lies the emotional weight of this possible signing. Davis, who spent four seasons as a cornerstone of the Lions’ defense, would be reentering the NFC North with a new badge of allegiance — an act that would surely send waves through Detroit’s passionate fan base. Former teammates have weighed in, some calling it “betrayal,” others acknowledging that the NFL is, at its core, a business.
Still, the Bears believe Davis is exactly the kind of battle-tested veteran who can bring fire to a defense that is on the cusp of a breakout. Coming off a season where the Bears showed flashes of dominance but were ultimately undone by inconsistencies in their front seven, the front office knows it must plug gaps and raise the intensity level — especially in a division loaded with offensive firepower.
The timing also adds to the drama. With training camps just weeks away and rosters nearing finalization, any potential Davis signing would be considered high-risk, high-reward. But for Chicago, which is in full win-now mode and itching to reclaim NFC North supremacy, the gamble may be too enticing to ignore.
And so, the stage is set. If Jarrad Davis signs on the dotted line with the Bears, it won’t just be another offseason transaction. It will be a thunderclap in the NFC North, a division already brimming with animosity and ambition. One thing’s for sure: football fans in Chicago and Detroit are watching every move — and they know this story is far from over.