Insider Hints At One Big Cut The Chicago Bears Might Make

One thing people should remember about all of this speculation is the facts. The Chicago Bears finished the 2022 season with a 3-14 record. That was the worst in the NFL. That means nobody on this roster should be safe outside of a few names. GM Ryan Poles will keep his draft picks from last year. Justin Fields is safe too (unless he's traded). Everybody else shouldn't feel comfortable going into this off-season. Poles has every justification necessary to make changes if he senses an opportunity to upgrade.

That leads to interesting discussions about players he may decide to move on from. Perhaps he might pull the plug on Al-Quadin Muhammad after a rough first season in Chicago. Kicker Cairo Santos struggled with extra points all season, hurting the team in some tight games. Former Ryan Pace draft picks Trevis Gipson and Kindle Vildor also failed to distinguish themselves. However, Adam Jahns of The Athletic seems to think there is one prominent name that should be circled for the chopping block.

"But let’s read the tea leaves. It wouldn’t be surprising if the Bears parted with Whitehair. He never came up when Poles discussed the offensive line in his season-ending news conference. That’s not to say that Poles, Eberflus and their respective staffs didn’t respect Whitehair or value what he brought. They did.

But Poles commended Riley Reiff after the season. “That guy did more than a lot of people think for that O-line room and the mentality,” he said. Teven Jenkins and Braxton Jones were the only other linemen mentioned by name."

The Chicago Bears have to face facts on Whitehair.

He turns 31 years old this July. He missed five games this season will injuries. He also struggled a lot in pass protection toward the end of the year. This comes after his worst pass-protecting season in 2021. It is fair to presume that the Bears have seen the best of Whitehair and he has begun a steady decline. He's been their most consistent and dependable blocker over the past several years. That may no longer be the case. Perhaps he can sell them on his solid run blocking, but the Bears must improve Fields' protection. If he is seen as a liability in that regard, it is time to pull the plug.

Cutting him would net the Chicago Bears an additional $5.8 million in cap space. They don't really need it, but that isn't the point. It is about paving the way for players with a better chance to help this team win. Poles likely doesn't have to feel rushed on a Whitehair decision. The Bears can go through their entire off-season seeking offensive line help. If they find guard options they deem favorable, then they can move on from Whitehair. If they don't, then keep him around for one more year.