Cody Whitehair: 'Everything starts up front with us'

LAKE FOREST, Ill., — Throughout Halas Hall, few players are accustomed to change like center Cody Whitehair. Entering his eighth season with the team, he's the second-longest tenured player on the roster and has played for three head coaches and two general managers. Whitehair has also alternated between playing center and left guard for the Bears, two positions that have become familiar for him.

As change sweeps Bears headquarters again, Whitehair hopes that year eight is when the Bears finally figure out how to put a winning product on the field. He's been part of just one winning season, 2018, since entering the league in 2016.

With the offense using the early portions of training camp to begin establishing a new identity, the Bears must sort through some changes on the offensive line. Newcomers Nate Davis and Darnell Wright must get acclimated to playing in a new environment, anchoring right guard and right tackle. Third-year pro Teven Jenkins is getting acclimated to left guard, after spending all of 2022 playing right guard.

Through the first five practices of training camp, storylines have revolved around the progression of the offense, with the focus being quarterback Justin Fields and the newly revamped wide receiver room. Chicago's offensive line is another group that is looking to make meaningful strides over the next few weeks, quickly becoming one of the top units in the league.

"Our focus right now is just getting better every day," said Whitehair. "We could be a little bit better, allow Justin [Fields] to have some more time."

When Whitehair refers to allowing Fields to have more time, the 31-year old veteran is implying that it's the offensive line that needs to give Fields time to excel as a passer, which will help the Bears offense develop.

"We’ve got some good playmakers," said Whitehair. "We’ve got a good line, too. I think we’ve got all the pieces now; we’ve just gotta fine tune the little details."

Up front, Chicago features a perfect blend of young players and experienced veterans that can form the foundation of a successful offense for the foreseeable future. Wright, Jenkins, and left tackle Braxton Jones are on rookie deals. Davis and Whitehair, with a combined 161 starts, provide a reshuffled unit with plenty of wisdom and experience to help develop younger players.

"We also gotta callous ourselves and get ourselves ready," said Whitehair. "So absolutely, that's on us as veterans to kind of set the tone and make sure everybody is on the same page."

When the pads come on, on Tuesday, the sixth practice of training camp, the offensive line's physicality will be tested, against a Bears defensive line that's eager to prove itself to the coaching staff.

"I’m always a team-first guy," said Whitehair. "I’d rather our team win and keep going to the playoffs and go to the Super Bowl. But I’m just trying to help my team win."