The Chicago Bears have made their way into the NFL headlines. Adam Schefter of ESPN reports the Bears have signed center Cody Whitehair to an extension. The deal is for five years and is worth $52.5 million.
Bears are signing guard Cody Whitehair to a 5-year, $52.5 million extension that includes $27.5 million guaranteed, per sources. The deal, negotiated by Jeff Nalley and Graylan Crain, gives Whitehair the second-largest guarantee for a guard extension in NFL history.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 1, 2019
Chicago Bears Lock Up Cody Whitehair
Whitehair, a second-round pick in 2016, has been stellar for the Bears. Throughout the first three years of his career, he’s been everything the Bears needed in the trenches. For Whitehair, it starts with his durability. Whitehair has started all 16 games for the Bears in each of his three pro seasons. Last season, Whitehair made his first NFL Pro Bowl at center.
During his early playing days, Whitehair, a native of Kearney, Nebraska, attended Abilene High School in Abilene, Kansas. Whitehair played multiple offensive line positions for the Abilene Cowboys, winning the PrepStar magazine’s All-Midlands Region team as a high school senior. Whitehair won the award after recording 140 pancake blocks and 81 tackles.
In college, Whitehair played all across the offensive line at Kansas State. Whitehair redshirted his freshman year but was named the starter at guard for the 2012 and 2013 seasons. Kansas State moved him to offensive tackle in 2014, where he would play his junior and senior years.
Whitehair is more deserving than anyone of an extension like this. His work in the trenches for the Bears goes unnoticed. He has helped players like 2018 second-round pick James Daniels make a smooth transition to the NFL. Heading into 2019, Whitehair was switch to guard, while James Daniels will take over for him at center. Thanks to Whitehair’s production and dedication, the Bears are building a solid offensive line around him and Kyle Long. With Daniels, Charles Leno, and Bobby Massie. Outside of quarterback, the offensive line is arguably the most important position in football, and the Bears clearly show an understanding of that by locking up Whitehair through 2024.
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