The Chicago Bears have been making some moves today as they continue to expand their cap space with cuts ahead of free agency. The team has already released safety Eddie Jackson earlier today and adding to the list was offensive guard Cody Whitehair.
Cody Whitehair has been with the Chicago Bears his entire career since being drafted in the second round in the 2016 NFL draft. He made the Pro Bowl for the 2018 season and has played in 124 games (118 starts) in his eight-year career.
With the two moves, the Bears are saving about $21.5 million against the salary cap. This also gives Whitehair the opportunity to sign with a team as an unrestricted free agent in mid-March.
What will the Chicago Bears do with their offensive line?
The Chicago Bears are in an interesting situation as they have an opening at the center position for their offensive line and the guards/tackles from last season are still under contract. The two offensive linemen who were on the roster last year and are impending free agents are center Lucas Patrick and left guard Dan Feeney.
That means the Bears could address the center position with the ninth pick in the 2024 NFL draft as they are expected to take USC quarterback Caleb Williams with the first overall pick or they can address the need in free agency. There are some quality free agent centers available and the Chicago Bears have the most cap space after Thursday’s moves.
The top free agent centers are Jason Kelce, Connor Williams, Andre James and Aaron Brewer. The Bears could also look to reset the position and draft a center as Jackson Powers-Johnson, Zach Frazier, Sedrick Van Pran, Beaux Limmer and Drake Nugent are all options that could be added to the team.
With some key positions, do not be shocked if they go out and spend money on a quality free agent center.
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