The Chicago Bears have handed out only one major contract to this point. That was for offensive tackle Bobby Massie, locking him up to a five-year extension. Since then they’ve remained quiet, leaving people to wonder where that next lucrative deal will come from and to whom. After weeks of inactivity, there is a growing belief that GM Ryan Pace is holding onto a large chunk of cap space to begin extension talks with Cody Whitehair.
This shouldn’t come as a surprise. Whitehair is entering the last year of his rookie contract. He just got done helping the Bears to the playoffs and went to the Pro Bowl. There really isn’t much more he has to prove. He’s become what Pace and his scouts had hoped and expected. A key fixture in the middle of their offensive line.
All that’s left is to sort out the details of what will happen, when it will happen, and how it will happen. Let us start with the when.
#TrenchWatch is on the #Bears young line.
– Cody Whitehair (C) perfectly seals Harrison's (98) play side shoulder
– James Daniels (LG) is able to seal off Okwara (95)
– Tarik Cohen presses the line of scrimmage which Davis (40) steps up to fill but Cohen cuts front side for a TD pic.twitter.com/F3bPHC7Zex— C&J Scouting (@c_jscouting) November 17, 2018
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Cody Whitehair will likely be extended shortly before the regular season
If the Bears are going to do it, then how much longer before it happens. In order to get a proper answer, it’s best to look at recent history. Pace likes to take his time with negotiations. There really isn’t a huge rush. Whitehair is under contract for 2019 so the two sides can work out the details over the summer.
Based on track record, Pace usually sets his deadline for before the regular season. In 2017 he secured left tackle Charles Leno to a four-year deal on August 23rd. Just over two weeks later on September 9th, the Bears locked up Akiem Hicks as well. Last year, Eddie Goldman signed his extension on September 7th. Expect Whitehair to get done somewhere in that same window.
Chicago Bears had plans for this when they restructured Khalil Mack deal
A lot of people were expecting some sort of big move after the Bears restructured the contract of star pass rusher Khalil Mack earlier this offseason. As time has gone on, it’s become clear that wasn’t the case. They are keeping the money for something else and Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune explains why Whitehair is their focus.
“After trading running back Jordan Howard to the Eagles on Thursday night — a move that created about $1.5 million in cap space — the team sits with a little more than $17 million in cap room. That’s plenty to sign the draft class, have operating room for the season and sign offensive lineman Cody Whitehair to an extension.
Whitehair looms as the next in a line of drafted and developed players the Bears want to secure for the future.”
As things stand the Bears have enough cap space to handle this extension and still secure their upcoming draft class and remaining free agent additions. The question is what will Whitehair cost in terms of money.
He will likely command around $11 million per year
The most notable contract signed by a center this offseason involved free agent Mitch Morse. He inked a four-year deal worth $44.5 million including $20.4 million guaranteed from the Buffalo Bills. One can bet Whitehair’s agent saw that contract and will be angling for something similar in the negotiations. Especially since Whitehair just went to his first Pro Bowl.
This would make him one of the two or three highest-paid centers in the league. Of course, that’s presuming he stays at center. The Bears have stated they may still move him to guard while James Daniels takes his place. Whether that happens or not, it likely won’t affect the price tag. This is how Pace wanted it to be. Develop and pay your own players. Whitehair has earned this. It’s just about the details now.
