As we’ve finally made it to Training Camp for the Chicago Bears, and there shall be a slew of competitions at multiple positions across the roster. Most recently, head coach Ben Johnson confirmed there will be such a contest for the starting job at Center. The two contestants are veteran Garrett Bradbury and rookie Logan Jones.
Regardless of who ultimately wins the job this season, all signs point to Logan Jones becoming *the* guy at Center for 2027 and beyond. That being said, the youngster from
Iowa will have his chance to unseat the veteran in Bradbury, who was acquired this offseason via trade from the New England Patriots. I firmly believe this is the most underrated competition to watch at Halas Hall this year.
In the Blue Corner at 6ft 3in and 305 pounds – #67 Garrett Bradbury
Age: 31
Exp: 8 seasons
Previous team(s): NC State Wolfpack; Minnesota Vikings; New England Patriots
The former 18th overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft has started in all 105 career games he dressed for between the Vikings and the Patriots. Just coming off a Super Bowl run with the Patriots he was also in a similar situation when they selected current starter Jared Wilson with the 95th overall pick and played him at guard during his rookie season. While there was no competition during training camp in Foxborough, he cemented himself as a key cog for an efficient group which spearheaded one of the most dangerous offenses in the league. Nothing spectacular, just solid. And solid is all the Bears need at Center for the time being.
Naturally, the Bears didn’t plan for this transition to happen so soon in the first place. Pro Bowler Drew Dalman was just 27 years old and coming off his best season of his career before abruptly retiring in the spring. This caused Ben Johnson and Ryan Poles to scramble for both an immediate and long-term solution to their center position on relatively short notice. Ultimately, they pivoted towards a trade that landed Garrett Bradbury. He now reunites with a former NC State teammate in All-Pro Guard and reigning Protector of the Year Joe Thuney as well.
What I will point out is that offensive line coach Dan Roushar has only seen one rookie in his career take the mantle as his team’s starting center – Erik McCoy in 2019. Then again, Garrett Bradbury himself started in every game as a rookie too. The center position is by far the most difficult to learn as you have to master both calling protections and your techniques between snapping the ball and identifying the first threat from inside. A team pursuing their own run at the Super Bowl, like the Bears, may not have the appetite for a learning curve at center.
Not all rookies are the same.
In the Orange Corner at 6ft 3in and 299 pounds – #54 Logan Jones
Age: 24
Exp: None (rookie)
Previous Team(s): Iowa Hawkeyes
Here we have the young challenger to the Bears’ job at Center. While he doesn’t have any experience as a pro just yet, there is a ton of buzz surrounding this latest selection from the OL factory known as Iowa Hawkeye brand football. And it’s not just because the jersey number (54) has returned to the Bears’ lineup.
The Bears picked him as the first center to hear their name called during the 2026 NFL Draft at selection number 57 overall. A spot that has seen great history for the Bears from previous draft classes, including one Devin Hester. The Heinz 57 sponsored product brings with him an excellent set of physical tools anchored by sound technique and a keen awareness for how protections are set. He was named the recipient of the 2025 Rimington Trophy as the nation’s top ranked center in NCAA football as well.
A player most frequently brought up as a pro comparison for Logan Jones – Drew Dalman. Their physicality and athleticism from the center position are reminiscent to each other, where you can see both players pulling naturally when called upon in protection or road paving. The Bears had Logan Jones as their top choice at Center from the start of the process and pounced on him when he was still there in the second round.
There have not been a ton of rookies to start and finish a full season at center for the Bears in recent history. The last such occurrence was in 2016 when Cody Whitehair was kicked inside shortly after the surprise signing of All-Pro Guard Josh Sitton. Even Olin Kruetz himself started just one game during his rookie season. Yet I’d argue the Bears haven’t drafted a pure center who’s nearly as good as Logan Jones is in quite some time.
From the moment his name was called there always was a chance for him to compete for a starting job this year instead of waiting until Garrett Bradbury’s eventual departure. When the pads come on starting next Monday, his opportunities will open up. I’d expect this competition to last all the way until the second preseason game.
Match-up between both players
Size: Tie
Even though Garrett Bradbury is listed as a few pounds heavier, their wingspans are almost identical, with Garrett Bradbury being measured at 1.94m (6ft 4-1/2in) and Logan Jones at 1.93m (6ft 4in). I would almost be willing to bet that Logan Jones will be at or around 305 pounds solid by the end of this season as well.
Exp: Bradbury
This is almost self-explanatory, as we have an 8-year veteran with 105 career starts going against a rookie. That experience will come in handy as the Bears look to get into an offensive groove as quickly as possible.
Schematical fit: Jones
Logan Jones is almost as perfect of a fit for what both Ben Johnson and Dan Roushar want at center that you can possibly imagine. While Bradbury is no slouch himself with a 4.92 forty compared to Jones’ 4.90 forty, Jones wins hands-down in the 3-cone time with a stunning 7.35, in comparison to a respectable 7.41 by Bradbury. What’s more is Jones’ athleticism pops on film as he can run any protection asked of him, while Bradbury has occasionally struggled when tasked to pull or slide in protection. Jones is extremely powerful at the point of attack as well.
Short term fit: Bradbury
What I’m looking at here is seeing who can be counted on right this second to line up and play center for the Bears if a game were happening at the time this article was published. Garrett Bradbury has all the experience, technical expertise, and knowledge of protections to identify the first threat before the ball is snapped. His previous chemistry with Joe Thuney is a plus as well. It is a very tall task for any rookie to line up at center during week one.
Long term fit: Jones
Much like the experience question above, this is blatantly obvious. Never mind the 7-year age difference between each player, their contracts also are drastically different. Garrett Bradbury signed a revised deal following his arrival to Chicago which amounts to 1-year and $4.7M. Out of the total value $3.7M is fully guaranteed with an additional $1M moved to what’s called Not Likely to be Earned (NLTBE) incentives. Logan Jones is on the standard 4-year rookie contract with a pre-slotted $8.47M and a $2.12M annual average.
My pick: Logan Jones
Yes, I did literally just say I’d expect Garrett Bradbury to get the nod if a game happened while I’m sitting at my desk typing this article. However, if Logan Jones performs well enough during training camp, then I cannot see Ben Johnson turning down a chance for the future to begin right away at center. I’m not simply saying he needs to be adequate – he needs to be outstanding for him to unseat Garrett Bradbury. I.E. dominate from the very moment the pads come on. Otherwise, the job will go to Garrett Bradbury, and Logan Jones will wait his turn. Whether that is in 2027 or this season is up to a multitude of factors.
Who do you think opens week one with the starters at center?
