There comes a time in sports when the old guard is forced to move on, either to a new team or via retirement. The Chicago Bears have reached such a crossroads again. With a big off-season looming, they've begun getting their finances in order. GM Ryan Poles elected to release two of the remaining mainstays from the Bears' 2018 NFC North championship team. Center Cody Whitehair and safety Eddie Jackson were both dismissed from the team, freeing up over $21 million in salary cap space ahead of the new league year in mid-March.
These decisions aren't surprising. Whitehair lost a spot in the starting lineup last season due to health setbacks and inconsistent play. Jackson also suffered injury issues and wasn't anything close to the player he was in 2022. A few years ago, both of them were fixtures on that excellent 2018 squad. Whitehair made the Pro Bowl at center, while Jackson claimed All-Pro honors with six interceptions. Sadly, their efforts weren't enough to elevate the Bears any higher than that. They had some good years afterward, but it never changed things much.
The Chicago Bears now have questions at both spots.
They have no definitive answer at center. Whitehair is gone and Lucas Patrick isn't a long-term solution. Not to mention they now have depth concerns at guard. Jackson's exit leaves a noticeable hole at free safety next to Jaquan Brisker. Maybe Elijah Hicks or Quindell Johnson are prepared to step into that role, but it is hard to see that happening. Right now, it feels like both positions could be addressed by the Bears in free agency. Multiple names of note will be available. It comes down to whether the Bears can land one at their desired price.
Looking toward the draft, it seems like a strong one at center, at least in the earlier rounds. Not so much for safeties. So if the Chicago Bears have a plan of action, it may be grabbing a safety in free agency and then going after a center in the draft. Much of that depends on if they can land a pick in the late 1st or 2nd round. Most projections have the best ones going somewhere in that range. Either way, it's important to express appreciation for how good Whitehair and Jackson were not long ago.
