Chicago Bears: Cody Whitehair is now the face of the offensive line

With Kyle Long gone, Cody Whitehair is now the face of the Chicago Bears O-line.

The Chicago Bears hope that the 2020 season is the start of a new era. There are a lot of new faces hoping to help the team win games and reverse the trend of losing records.

In the past 20 seasons, the Bears had just seven in which they won more than they lost, making only five playoff appearances. During that same time, their hated rivals, the Green Bay Packers, had 15, and they went to the playoffs 14 times. Additionally, the New England Patriots had 20 winning seasons, making the playoffs 17 times.

This has to change. The Chicago Bears are a proud franchise and this twenty-year period is embarrassing. We need to adore more than just the 1985 Super Bowl team.

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Some of the player leadership roles have or may change. The quarterback position, the most important position and usually the one who is the face of the franchise, could experience a change depending on how the competition between Mitchell Trubisky and Nick Foles plays out. Even if someone wins the job this preseason (if we have a preseason), the battle will certainly continue into the season.

Another area with a leadership change is along the embattled offensive line. Kyle Long had the mantel, but this offseason he retired (or was forced to retire if you believe him). There is a need for someone to grab a hold of the line and be the leader. We saw how the line was a mess last season. Part of that had to do with the loss of Long. He not only played well but also kept everyone in place. He praised the linemen when needed and called out those who didn’t play well. Also, he said things his teammates would never attempt to say.

Who takes the leadership role from Long? The answer is center Cody Whitehair.

Cody Whitehair steps into a more prominent role with the Chicago Bears.

Whitehair is a four-year veteran and has done everything the team has asked of him. He was a guard to start his career in Chicago, then moved over when the center got injured. He played well as a center, making the Pro Bowl in 2018.

Despite his success at center, the Bears asked him to move back to guard so they could have James Daniels play center. He played wherever the team asked him to play without complaining.

That move was a monumental error. Daniels and Trubisky could not develop the rapport Trubisky had with Whitehair. The blocking scheme was a mess and the Bears eventually switched Whitehair and Daniels back to their original positions. Things improved when the team made the change.

Trubisky is especially happy to have Whitehair back since they have such a great relationship. When the Bears moved the linemen back to their original positions, Trubisky was glad and spoke highly of Whitehair, per SI:

"He always puts the team first. In here early, last guy to leave. Just a selfless player and does his job on the field."

Now Whitehair needs to step up and take control of the line. He needs to be the leader the line needs and has to be on top of things. Whitehair hasn’t been a very vocal person but that has to change. He needs to speak when needed or even when not needed (you’d understand if you know how Long operated).

It appears that Whitehair will embrace the new role. He recently spoke up on the feelings of the team on their 2019 performance, via Yahoo:

"I guess the best way to sum up our virtual offseason is would be motivated. I mean, we know how much we left out there. The season wasn’t the way we wanted it to be in 2019. I would say the biggest thing is guys are motivated, guys are excited to get back to work and start the season."

It’s nice to see Whitehair speak up and take a stand as a leader. Some players don’t feel comfortable being a vocal leader, especially when trying to take over for a strong leader like Long. There are some changes on the line and someone needs to keep things smooth. Whitehair is up for the job.