Ryan Pace has tried to stay true to his word from the beginning. Whenever possible, he wants to reward his own players. Those he drafted. He had such an opportunity against as the Chicago Bears GM hoped to secure left guard Cody Whitehair, who was coming off a Pro Bowl alternate season in 2018 as the team’s center. The move to guard didn’t seem to affect the negotiations all that much. Whitehair will receive around $10.5 million per year and the second-largest guarantee for a guard in NFL history.
This will make him the fifth-highest paid left guard in the league in terms of annual salary but at the same time likely gives the Bears a minor break on the salary cap. No doubt something Whitehair was more than happy to oblige due to the higher guarantees. It’s a wise move by Pace. One could argue that he is their best offensive lineman. Last season he did not allow a single sack or hit on the quarterback in 17 games. It shouldn’t be a surprise the Bears were eager to ensure he was locked up.
Cody Whitehair extension keep stability up front
The Bears already extended right tackle Bobby Massie back in January. With this move, the offensive line appears as stable as ever. Every starter up front is now under contract for at least the next two seasons. Given how critical familiarity and communication are to offensive line play, this is a tremendous bit of work by the Bears not only in piecing the group together but ensuring it stays together in an era where roster turnover is higher than ever.
One person no doubt happy about the move is Mitch Trubisky. He and Whitehair are close and the quarterback trusts him to keep the pocket clean every Sunday. This removes the last potential distraction for the Bears going into 2019. Their entire focus can now shift to the Green Bay Packers and opening night. No doubt Whitehair will be buying the drinks afterward if they end up winning that game.
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