Most discussions regarding the Chicago Bears offensive line are on the right side. GM Ryan Poles completely revamped it with veteran free agent Nate Davis at right guard and 1st round pick Darnell Wright at right tackle. It’s a massive step up in athleticism from last year. While it may take time for Wright to earn the necessary experience, the upside of that pairing is significant. Yet fans aren’t sure it will be enough to solve the team’s pass protection woes from last season. That is where Cody Whitehair comes in.
Center was a constant source of frustration for the Bears last season. Much of that was due to injuries. Lucas Patrick was supposed to be the designated starter in the middle. However, he failed to stay healthy. That forced Sam Mustipher into the lineup for most of the season. While the former undrafted free agent demonstrated intelligence and toughness, it was evident how outmatched he was in terms of athleticism and strength. Robert Schmitz of Da Bears Blog demonstrated on his YouTube channel why Whitehair should ease such problems.
Cody Whitehair should be a perfectly fine short-term solution.
He isn’t a spring chicken anymore at 31 years old. However, he should have enough left in the tank for at least one more season. That is what the Bears are asking for. When healthy, he still looks like the former Pro Bowler he was a few years ago. Whitehair is smart, quick, and generates good power in his lower body. The only real concern with him is whether he still struggles with shotgun snaps. That was a source of constant frustration during his last stint at the position. Expectations are he should have it under control.
The Bears don’t need Cody Whitehair to be a stud. They just need to him anywhere close to what he was a few years ago. That guy makes this entire offensive line better. He eases the burden on the guards and, most importantly, quarterback Justin Fields. When he’s had an adequate pocket to step into, the Bears’ passing game functioned quite well last season. Center is crucial to a successful offensive line. Even modest improvement there trickles down to the four other positions.
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More than strength, agility, or overall physical skill, the biggest problem with Bears pass protection was consistently blowing assignments. This was a combination of the center, the interior o-line and that QB. Hopefully, moving Whitehair back to center, combined with Justin Fields’ experience and some continuity for the starting five, will largely solve this problem. Regardless, a significant number of pressures you saw last year were from guys either running free or blocks that were missed because the o-lineman was late to their assignment or tentative and not attacking like they were unsure.
Cody will do just fine at center and I don’t know why he was moved out to guard after 2018. If it’s not broke don’t fix it. I think he has a few more good years at center and the Bears can draft one next year and groom him to eventually replace Cody
Whitehair is the reason why picking up a stud center in this year’s draft was not mandatory. Poles thought Dexter and Stevenson were better options and/or more immediate needs than JMS. Time will tell.
I got distracted during the video. Began to study Mustipher and see why his RAS was high. He very seldom was involved with 1 on 1 blocking. Clearly, it is seen that he needed help and the Plays were designed with his weakness in mind. Glad he’s gone!
That video on Youtube gave Mustipher’s “RAS” score in was like .8 or something… out of 10.0 points…. so he was fighting an UPHILL battle from the get go.
Shame on our team for allowing themselves to relay on a bad prospect to man the position for 2+ seasons.
It wasn’t for a lack of want on his part though… I’m just glad he’s not on the team anymore. Good luck with that Baltimore