Bears Activate G Cody Whitehair From IR

Cody Whitehair did not need an extensive practice ramp-up period to return from IR. Two days after being designated for return, the veteran guard will be back in the Bears’ starting lineup.

Chicago activated its longest-tenured offensive starter Friday. Whitehair had been out since suffering a knee injury in Week 4. He ended up missing the minimum game total; this Bears transaction will be their third injury activation this season. The team can activate up to five more players from IR this year.

[RELATED: Week 9 Injured Reserve Return Tracker]

Although they have been without their top offensive lineman for half the season, the Bears have climbed to a high perch offensively. They will enter their Week 9 game as the NFL’s top rushing team. Chicago’s Justin Fields-, David Montgomery– and Khalil Herbert-driven ground attack is averaging 188.4 yards per game — nearly 23 more yards than the second-place Ravens — and has led the team to back-to-back games with at least 29 points.

The Bears did not let a recent rout of the Patriots in Foxborough cloud their long-term plan, sending Robert Quinn to the Eagles and Roquan Smith to the Ravens. But they also added Chase Claypool, a move aimed at giving Fields a piece for this year and beyond. Whitehair returning stands to bolster this intriguing Chicago offense.

Whitehair, 30, is in the third season of a five-year, $51.25MM extension. He has been with the Bears since joining the team as a 2016 second-round pick. The Kansas State product has been a starter, at either center or guard, throughout his career. This four-game absence marked his longest layoff as a pro.

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