As we continue to look at the future of the Chicago Bears and what should be done contract-wise with some key veteran players who don’t have many years left on their contracts, today we pivot back to the offensive line and look at Garrett Bradbury.
Drew Dalman certainly threw the Bears a curveball when he retired in the spring. The Bears, not knowing how the draft would play out, needed to find a center they could trust and find one quickly, and they did just that, acquiring Garrett Bradbury from
the New England Patriots.
Six weeks later, they were able to add Logan Jones in the 2nd round of the NFL Draft, and it’s that selection that cements Bradbury’s future with the team.
Garrett Bradbury: Slash
If some of the Bears’ top targets at center had gone off the board before them and the Bears selected a day three center with less certainty, I think this probably would have been a “stash” situation and see how Bradbury and the rookie play this year and make decisions in January.
However, Logan Jones was the Bears’ top choice at center,r and he was the first center taken off the board in the NFL Draft. Jones is an experienced college player who has already had every accolade heaped upon him that you could imagine. It’s hard to look at Jones and not think he can at least be a functional center at the NFL level. We don’t know how good Jones is going to be, but he’s going to have to fail before the Bears consider anyone else, and I don’t think fans, media, or the Bears expect him to fail.
With Jones in tow, Bradbury is locked into being a one-year player with the Bears. The Bears will almost certainly let Bradbury walk after his contract expires and fully pivot to Jones in 2027. The only question really is: will Jones or Bradbury be the starting center for the bulk of the games in the 2026 season? That certainly will play out in training camp, and we will have to see how the coaches see that one going.
Bradbury was a move the Bears had to make. They had uncertainty at a position that is critical for Ben Johnson’s offense. They need a smart, reliable center who can make calls and put the offense in a position to succeed. They had that with Dalman. Bradbury can do that role decently until Jones is ready to take over. Whether Jones is ready in August, November, or 2027, we know it’s coming; it’s just a matter of when.
