Chicago Bears: Cody Whitehair’s historical extension is well-deserved
By Ryan Heckman
The Chicago Bears extended Pro Bowl guard Cody Whitehair on a rich deal Sunday morning, which was both well-deserved and made history.
As the Chicago Bears made their way down to their initial 53-man roster on Saturday afternoon, general manager Ryan Pace and his guys were also busy negotiating what would be an enormous extension for Pro Bowl guard Cody Whitehair.
Sunday morning, the deal was announced.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Whitehair signed a 5-year extension worth $52.5 million with $27.5 million guaranteed at signing.
The deal goes down as the second-richest guaranteed sum to a guard in NFL history.
Whitehair, 27, came to the Bears out of Kansas State courtesy of a second-round selection in the 2016 NFL Draft. He has been as solid and dependable a starter as any team could ask for since entering the pros.
Whitehair has started and played in all 48 games over his 3-year career. He earned a PFWA All-Rookie First Team nod after his 2016 season and was voted to the 2018 Pro Bowl.
Whitehair is not only dependable in terms of health, but he’s a true team guy. Whitehair has been asked to switch positions a couple of times, going between guard and center, and hasn’t batted an eye. He’s always been willing to do what is asked of him — and he’s played well, regardless.
The Bears worked to clear up some cap space over the last month by moving around some cash in other deals, most recently with fellow offensive lineman Charles Leno. The Bears restructured Leno’s deal and cleared an additional $5.6 million in cap room.
Both Whitehair and Leno are prime examples of two key aspects within the Bears’ organization: A team-first mentality and the commitment to protect and build around franchise quarterback Mitchell Trubisky.
While last year was about additions to the team, this year appears to be more about keeping important players around for years to come. Whitehair, Leno and Bobby Massie are locked down for multiple seasons now and the Bears are in good shape up front.
Next. Bears: Initial 53-man roster revealed. dark
From here on out, it will be about extending guys like Eddie Jackson, Tarik Cohen among others. Pace has historically been able to work his magic when it comes to getting deals done, and Bears fans should be excited about the future of this franchise.