Bears' Marcus Davenport retires after release, Swift benched for fumble

Marcus Davenport asked for, and was granted, his release from the Bears on Monday, according to www.bleachernation.com.

The move came one day after Davenport was flexed onto the active roster and played 12 snaps in Chicago’s Week 4 win over the Jets. He registered one tackle but otherwise wasn’t much of a factor, per the source.

What followed was unexpected: a report of his retirement.

The retirement itself is reported but not officially confirmed by the team or player. Davenport, a first-round pick (14th overall) by the New Orleans Saints in 2018, ends his career with 25 sacks, 166 total tackles, 28 tackles-for-loss, and 71 quarterback hits in 78 games over nine seasons with the Saints, Vikings, Lions, and Bears.

For a veteran to request a release after just 12 snaps in Week 4 — following three weeks on the practice squad — is sensible. The retirement report, though, changes the shape of that decision entirely.

SWIFT BENCHED AFTER FUMBLE

If you’re wondering why Bears running back D'Andre Swift didn’t see the field after his third-quarter fumble against the Jets, you are not alone. Fans flooded social media with questions, many wondering if Swift’s benching had anything to do with the knee injury that landed him on last week’s injury report.

To answer those queries, the answer is no. When asked directly about whether Swift was benched due to injury on Sunday, Bears Head Coach Ben Johnson said: “No, nothing like that.” Beyond that denial, the exact reason for the benching beyond the fumble is not confirmed.

Kudos to Johnson for making a coaching point with Swift’s benching without making a whole ordeal out of it, per www.bleachernation.com. Swift’s carelessness with the ball in a game against a team that isn’t as woeful as the Jets could have been a costly one. So what better time to send a message that it won’t be tolerated than in that moment?