Cody Whitehair’s Old Habits Seem To Have Returned
One of the more controversial decisions of the Chicago Bears’ 2023 off-season was their unwillingness to add a new face at center. Rather than sign a free agent or draft somebody high, GM Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus elected to shift veteran Cody Whitehair back to that spot. They felt his experience and run-blocking ability would help everything run smoothly after so much turmoil last season. However, it also opened them up to some serious issues that have plagued the former Pro Bowler for the past few years.
One is his average pass protection. While he can be called superior to Sam Mustipher, Whitehair still isn’t a huge upgrade. His last season playing center was 2021. He allowed 33 pressures, five hits, and four sacks on the quarterback. However, that isn’t the only concern. Whitehair also developed a reputation for bad snaps. There were several times when his snaps would come in too low or high, throwing the entire play out of whack. According to Nicholas Moreano of CHGO, that same problem has resurfaced at training camp.
“Cody Whitehair had a low snap to Fields, but he was able to still get the ball off to Khalil Herbert in the flat to the right. Herbert lowered a shoulder on Johnson and spun off the cornerback.”
Cody Whitehair can’t afford this.
The Bears offense is predicated on timing and rhythm. That includes ensuring there is a consistent, reliable snap on every play. Even a half-second sacrificed corraling a high or low snap by Justin Fields would throw off everything. It is something that can kill drives because they too often lead to sacks or lost fumbles. What makes it more frustrating is Whitehair is using the dead snap style that is supposed to mitigate these problems. Apparently, even that isn’t helping much anymore.
Unless he gets this under control, Cody Whitehair might be staring down his last season in Chicago. If they wish, the Bears can cut him next year, with only $4 million in dead cap. He will also be 32 years old. If anybody can’t afford a down season of performance, it’s him. One can only hope these snap struggles are him getting used to playing the position again. It’s not like the Bears have many alternatives. They could go with Lucas Patrick, but that wouldn’t be an upgrade either.