Bears’ offensive line remodel likely includes Cody Whitehair moving back to center

The Bears have a lot to figure out still with their offensive line, but it looks like a plan is taking shape that would have newcomer Nate Davis at left guard and shift Cody Whitehair to center.

General manager Ryan Poles volunteered that possibility when discussing Davis, who signed a three-year, $30 million deal. Davis played right guard for the Titans the last four seasons, but said he’d be fine with moving to the left side.

“We’re going to put the best five up there,” Poles said. “There’s some flexibility and some conversations where Cody could work some center. He’s got almost 4,000 snaps there [and] had some good seasons there. So we’re going to move it around a little bit.”

Whitehair was the Bears’ starting center his first three seasons and played there for parts of 2019 and ’20.

Those two spots are penciled in for now, but the other three seem to still be wide open.

When asked about left tackle Braxton Jones, who won the job as a fifth-round pick out of Southern Utah, Poles said the team could “create competition” at that position.

One of the Bears’ options was to pursue four-time Pro Bowl left tackle Orlando Brown in free agency. Not only is a proven talent, but he was available below his projected market value and signed with the Bengals for four years, $64 million.

Poles, who was with Brown in Kansas City in 2021, said he wasn’t a fit because of “scheme match.” The Bears are looking for leaner, more athletic players at left tackle.