Ex Bears Magestar Sign Contract Deal With Raiders Declining Vikings….
The Bears cut Whitehair in February rather than pay a $13.25 million salary-cap hit.
Guard/center Cody Whitehair, once the Bears’ longest-tenured position player, has a new home: Las Vegas.
The Raiders agreed to sign Whitehair, 31, to a one-year contract Monday. A source said the deal is worth $2.5 million. When Whitehair suits up for the Raiders — and new offensive coordinator Luke Getsy — he will be wearing colors other than navy and orange for the first time as a pro. He played for the Bears from 2016, when he was drafted in the second round, through last season.
As Whitehair begins his first stint away from the Bears, their current players reported Monday to Halas Hall for the start of their offseason program. Phase I of the workouts, which will run the next two weeks, limits players to conditioning drills and physical rehab with strength coaches, per the collective-bargaining agreement.
The Bears cut Whitehair, who had a $13.25 million salary-cap hit for 2024, in February. He had expected the move, given that he had been benched during the season after struggling with the accuracy of his snaps.
He played only 87 snaps at center in 2023, despite going into the season as the expected starter at the position. He finished the season as a backup guard and played most of the season finale after Nate Davis was hurt.
‘‘As a starter here for seven years, it was tough,’’ Whitehair said after the season-ending loss to the Packers. ‘‘Made the best of it. Gonna continue to play, for sure.’’
George McCaskey knew Kevin Warren would have a different management style that retiring Bears president/CEO Ted Phillips. Exactly a year into Warren’s tenure — the former Big Ten commissioner started at Halas Hall last April 17 — the chairman has adjusted to it. He considered it his duty to.
George McCaskey always knew Kevin Warren would have a different management style than retiring Bears president/CEO Ted Phillips. One year into Warren’s tenure — the former Big Ten commissioner started at Halas Hall on April 17, 2023 — the chairman has adjusted to it. He considers it his duty.
“Energetic, dynamic, passionate, enthusiastic,” McCaskey said at the NFL’s annual meetings last month. “Not that Ted wasn’t all of those things, but Kevin just does it in a different way. He’s a force of nature.”
That force is about to be tested. The Bears are pushing to build a domed stadium just south of Soldier Field, saying they’re willing to invest $2 billion in private money toward a building they wouldn’t own. Questions remain about where the rest of the money will come from, though, and Friends of the Parks is urging them to slow down.
There’s almost zero doubt about what the Chicago Bears will do with the first pick of the upcoming NFL draft: They’re going to select quarterback Caleb Williams.
But what about the No. 9 selection? Chicago also holds that pick, and it will likely be an attractive trade chip for several teams, including the Philadelphia Eagles.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay put together a list of trades each team with a top-10 pick “would have to consider,” and for the No. 9 selection, here’s what he proposed for Chicago:
The Bears would receive Philly’s 2024 first-round pick (No. 22 overall), their 2024 second-round pick (No. 53 overall), a 2024 fifth-round pick (No. 172 overall) and a 2025 third-round pick to be determined later in exchange for No. 9 overall.
“The Bears are more likely to trade down from the No. 9 overall pick than they are at No. 1,” Kay noted. “They direly need more picks outside of Day 1, as they currently have only the Nos. 75 and 122 selections to supplement a pair of early first-rounders. The Philadelphia Eagles could be the ideal trade partner.”
Bears & Eagles Engaged in a Top-10 Trade During Draft Last Year
The Eagles and Bears have a very recent history of doing business together on draft day. In 2023, Chicago also had the No. 9 pick, and the Bears sent it to Philly in exchange for the 10th overall selection and a 2024 fourth-rounder. The Eagles drafted defensive tackle Jalen Carter at nine, while Chicago nabbed offensive lineman Darnell Wright at No. 10.
If Chicago and Philadelphia swap first-round picks this year, though, there is a much larger gap. If Bears general manager Ryan Poles were to agree to move down from nine to 22, he would need a sizable return. Many Bleacher Report trade proposals are a bit far-fetched, but this one feels more than reasonable.
“Philadelphia could offer a package headlined by its own first-rounder at No. 22 overall and second-round choice at No. 53,” Kay wrote, adding: “The Eagles could sweeten the pot with one of their three fifth-round picks as well as a Round 3 pick in 2025. The latter selection would give the Bears additional capital in a year where they should be ready to make a leap to contending status.”
