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Paul Gutierrez, ESPN Staff Writer
HENDERSON, Nev. — Former Pro Bowl guard Cody Whitehair is following his old offensive coordinator Luke Getsy to the desert.
Whitehair, a Pro Bowl selection in 2018 for the Chicago Bears, agreed to a one-year contract with the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday, two months after Getsy, the Bears’ offensive coordinator the previous two seasons, came to Southern Nevada.
The Raiders have an opening at right guard. Whitehair, who is already familiar with Getsy’s scheme, figures to be a plug-and-play veteran addition, even as the 6-feet-3, 316-pounder has started only three games there in his eight-year career.
Whitehair, 31, who has played in 124 games with 118 starts, has started 61 games at center and 54 games at left guard.
The Raiders return three starters on the offensive line in left tackle Kolton Miller, left guard Dylan Parham and center Andre James.
James said he was “super excited” to add Whitehair to the offensive line, especially given his familiarity with Getsy’s system.
“It’s nice having a vet like that come in and [with] a lot of the experience that he’s had, it’s only just going to benefit the whole offensive room,” James said.
“I was just talking with him today, about some of the schemes and some of the things that [the Bears] ran. It’s always helpful having a guy who’s familiar with the offense, familiar with the scheme and the system, especially there in the offensive line room. Just to kind of pick his brain and just kind get some of the keys and some of the information that he’s got for a long time.”
Whitehair was released by the Bears on Feb. 15 in a move that freed up salary cap space.