The Baltimore Ravens are signing former Chicago Bears center Sam Mustipher to a one-year deal, according to The Athletic‘s Jeff Zrebiec.
Mustipher signed with the Bears as an undrafted free agent out of Notre Dame in 2019. While he spent his rookie season on the practice squad, he saw his first on-field action during the 2020 season, due to injuries to James Daniels and Cody Whitehair.
Mustipher started all but one game at center for Chicago in the last two seasons. While Lucas Patrick was brought in during the 2022 offseason to serve as the starting center, he went down with a broken thumb in training camp, and Mustipher stepped in.
While Mustipher’s best attribute was his availability, he was a liability along the offensive line at time, and the Bears opted to move on from him this offseason.
Can confirm this. Ravens have been looking to add more interior OL depth. They also didn't have backup center after Trystan Colon signed w/Jets. Mustipher is an Owings Mills native, so he'll be coming home. He started 40 games for the Bears over past 3 seasons. https://t.co/hkzPcf50KP
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) May 15, 2023
The Bears will have a new starting center in 2023, which figures to be Whitehair or Patrick. Both have center experience and significant cap hit — with Whitehair’s $14.1 million the biggest — although Whitehair is the expected starter.
After the addition of guard Nate Davis in free agency, general manager Ryan Poles hinted that Whitehair would move back to center, a position he last played in 2020.
Meanwhile, Mustipher joins the Ravens roster as depth along the interior offensive line.
