Final Bears Injury Report: Center Cody Whitehair Ruled Out
For the first time in his pro career Bears center Cody Whitehair will miss a game.
Whitehair has been ruled out for Sunday's game at Soldier Field with the New Orleans Saints with a calf injury, and it's possible the Bears will be without wide receiver Allen Robinson as well. Whitehair has a streak of 71 straight games started.
Robinson is questionable and is still in the NFL concussion protocol. It's not common for players to be in the protocol heading into Saturday and then be cleared to play, but it has happened.
Robinson suffered a concussion in the second half of Monday night's 24-10 Bears loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
Outside linebacker Khalil Mack and running back Cordarrelle Patterson are questionable for Sunday's game. Both went through limited practices on Friday, after sitting out prior practices this week. Mack has an ankle injury while Patterson has a quad injury.
Second-year undrafted free agent Sam Mustipher from Notre Dame will start in Whitehair's place. It's Mustipher's first start after he played for the first time in a regular-season NFL game on Monday night following Whitehair's injury.
Robinson leads the Bears with 44 receptions for 544 yards. He has two touchdown catches.
Mack was out of practice on Wednesday and Thursday after suffering an ankle injury during the middle of a scrum near the goal line against the Rams during the second half. Mack returned to practice Friday on a limited basis.
Patterson has a quad muscle injury and also missed Wedesday and Thursday practices but was able to practice Friday on a limited basis.
The others on the injury report for the Bears are defensive backs Eddie Jackson (knee) and Sherrick McManis (hamstring) and they are questionable after going through full practices on Friday.
The Bears have caught a break with the Saints as wide receiver Michael Thomas will be unavailable. He had been out with an ankle injury, but in rehabbing from it he pulled a hamstring. Thomas tried to come back at practice this week but has been ruled out.
Also out for the Saints are starting lineman Nick Easton (concussion) and wide receiver Marcus Callaway.
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