Bears release Eddie Jackson, Cody Whitehair

(670 The Score) The Bears have parted ways with a pair of key veteran figures in their locker room.

The Bears have officially released veteran safety Eddie Jackson and guard Cody Whitehair, the team announced Thursday afternoon.

Jackson had been with the Bears since 2017 and earned Pro Bowl honors twice over his seven seasons. He was a team captain and considered a key figure on defense.

“Lord willing, I hope I’m here next year,” Jackson said back in December. “But God always has a plan. So, I feel like I’ll always land on my feet. I hope it’s here. (But) I know how it works in the business. I wish I could be here my whole entire career. But we know how this thing works. So, you have to live in the moment.”

Whitehair was one of the Bears' longest-tenured players, a second-round pick in 2016 who played in 124 total games in eight seasons. He was a Pro Bowl center in 2018 and also played guard through position switches.

But Whitehair fell into a reserve role last season and his future with the Bears became in doubt.

“I’m a team-first guy and whatever is better for the team, that’s what I’m going to do,” Whitehair said last month. “I served as a backup the rest of the year and made the best of it.

“There were some ups and downs, obviously. Was asked to go in the backup role, and that’s tough. As a starter here for seven years, it’s tough. But I made the best of it and going to continue to play, for sure.”

The Bears will save roughly $32 million against the salary cap with the releases of Jackson and Whitehair.

Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670 .