The Chicago Bears are gearing up for the 2023 NFL season, which features plenty of new and returning faces within the organization. There are a number of players, coaches and front office members that are crucial to the team’s success this season.
Every day from now until the start of training camp, we’re counting down our 30 Most Important Bears for the 2023 season. We’ll recap their 2022 season, look ahead to 2023 and tackle the biggest question facing them this year.
At No. 16 is offensive lineman Cody Whitehair, who’s making the switch back to center this season.
Background
Position: Center
Age: 30
Experience: 8th season
2023 cap hit: $14.1 million
2022 recap
Whitehair has been a staple on the Bears’ offensive line, where he’s been one of the more dependable options on a struggling line. While he had his struggles last season — namely in the latter half of the year — he’s been a key veteran presence. Whitehair did miss four games earlier in the year after suffering a knee injury against the Giants, and he wasn’t the same after. But, historically speaking, he’s pretty healthy during his seven years in Chicago. Whitehair served as a veteran leader on an otherwise young, inexperienced offensive line last season.
2023 outlook
Whitehair carries the fourth-largest salary cap hit ($14.1 million) on the team, and the Bears could’ve opted to move on from him this offseason. Instead, they opted to bring back a veteran team leader to help anchor a new-look offensive line. With new additions and shifting along the offensive line, Whitehair is moving back to center, a position he last played in 2020. Whitehair has played every position along interior of the offensive line since being drafted by the Bears in 2016. So making the switch from left guard to center this offseason has been a smooth transition, especially given Chicago gave him ample notice of the switch this offseason.
Big question: How will Whitehair fare in his return to center?
The Bears get an upgrade at center with Whitehair replacing the departed Sam Mustipher. While many expected Lucas Patrick to challenge for the starting job, Matt Eberflus made it clear the job is Whitehair’s. So the biggest question is how Whitehair will fare in his switch back to center. While Whitehair hasn’t played center since 2020, it’s a position he’s quite comfortable with. When looking at Whitehair’s resume, he’s actually started more games at center (60) than at left guard (43) and right guard (3). And he was named to the Pro Bowl in 2018, back when he was at center. The biggest factor will be his health, as he’s coming off a “significant” knee injury suffered last season. If healthy, Whitehair should prove to be a dependable center.
30 Most Important Bears of 2023
We’re counting down our 30 Most Important Bears of 2023. Check back every day leading up to the start of training camp.
| 30. K Cairo Santos | 29. FB Khari Blasingame | 28. TE Robert Tonyan |
| 27. DE Dominique Robinson | 26. LB Jack Sanborn | 25. DT Zacch Pickens |
| 24. RB Roschon Johnson | 23. DT Andrew Billings | 22. CB Tyrique Stevenson |
| 21. DT Gervon Dexter | 20. RB Khalil Herbert | 19. RG Nate Davis |
| 18. LG Teven Jenkins | 17. CB Kyler Gordon | 16. C Cody Whitehair |
| 15. COMING 7/11 | 14. COMING 7/12 | 13. COMING 7/13 |
| 12. COMING 7/14 | 11. COMING 7/15 | 10. COMING 7/16 |
| 9. COMING 7/17 | 8. COMING 7/18 | 7. COMING 7/19 |
| 6. COMING 7/20 | 5. COMING 7/21 | 4. COMING 7/22 |
| 3. COMING 7/23 | 2. COMING 7/24 | 1. COMING 7/25 |
