The Denver Broncos and Detroit Lions both had a clear need along the offensive line going into the trade deadline, but neither team did anything about it.
The Broncos have lost a pair of guards to injury. Ben Powers suffered a torn biceps that will keep him out an extended period of time, and quite possibly the rest of the season, and his top backup, Matt Peart, is on the shelf, also, with a knee injury.
In Detroit, the Lions lost starting guard Christian Mahogany to a broken bone that head coach Dan Campbell said will keep him out "a long time," which led to Mahogany's placement on injured reserve.
If the Broncos and/or Lions are still looking for help upfront, they could turn to Cody Whitehair, who remains available in free agency.
Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox believes the Lions and Broncos are the best fits for the former Pro Bowler.
Whitehair would be a logical target for the Detroit Lions, who lost center Frank Ragnow to retirement in the offseason and recently placed guard Christian Mahogany on injured reserve.
The Denver Broncos would also make a lot of sense. They've lost guards Ben Powers and Matt Peart to injuries. They also happen to employ assistant offensive line coach Chris Morgan, who was Whitehair's line coach for two seasons in Chicago.
Best Fits: Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions
Whitehair was never an elite offensive lineman, but he was a starting-caliber player in the past (Pro Bowl in 2018) and would make for a decent depth addition in 2025.
The 33-year-old appeared in 12 games (three starts) with the Las Vegas Raiders last season and struggled to the tune of a bad 37.9 run-blocking grade and a respectable though uninspiring 61.0 pass-blocking mark. He didn't give up any sacks and nine pressures in 158 pass-blocking snaps in 2024.
Certainly not great numbers, but this is the caliber of offensive linemen teams are going to find in free agency at this point in the year.
What they won't find is the experience and versatility Whitehair offers. He can play both guard and center, and he has nine seasons and 138 games of experience, including two playoff games, under his belt.
A likely practice squad addition, there's nothing to lose for either Denver or Detroit to bring Whitehair in and see what he has left.
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