Three years ago, Hroniss Grasu went down with an ACL injury during the summer and suddenly, the Chicago Bears were in need of a center.
That’s when a rookie named Cody Whitehair stepped up, learned the position for the first time in his career and started all 16 games at center, earning all-rookie honors.
Whitehair has been the Bears’ starting center for the past three seasons, but prior to 2018, Ryan Pace drafted James Daniels out of Iowa, whose natural position is center.
Many speculated out of the gate that Daniels would be taking over at center and Whitehair would move back over to guard but as preseason and training camp got underway, it was clear that Whitehair would remain at center and Daniels would remain at guard.