Bears Reportedly Trade for Patriots Center After Drew Dalman Retirement

The Chicago Bears have added a veteran starting center days after Drew Dalman informed his team he would be retiring after five seasons.

The Bears acquired former New England Patriots center Garrett Bradbury in exchange for a fifth-round pick, The Athletic's Dianna Russini reported Friday.

Bradbury, a 2019 first-round pick, is heading into his eighth NFL season after six years with the Minnesota Vikings and one with the Patriots.

He played 98 percent of the Patriots' defensive snaps last season, and allowed no sacks on 642 pass blocking-snaps, per PFF.

The 30-year-old is signed through the 2026 season at a cap hit of $6.9 million, per Spotrac.

The fifth-rounder is from 2027, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

The Bears had expected to go into the 2026 season with Dalman after signing him to a three-year, $42 million contract ahead of the 2025 season.

That contract was part of the Bears' efforts to overhaul their offensive line after Caleb Williams took a league-high 68 sacks during his rookie 2024 season.

Dalman, who started 17 regular-season games for the Bears, joined Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson as additions who helped the franchise win the NFC North and a playoff game while helping Williams drop his sack total to 24.

He was ranked as the eighth-best center in the league last season by PFF, which noted he ranked sixth in the NFL with a 11.8 percent defeated rate on run-blocking snaps.

Dalman's decision to retire from the NFL at the age of 27, combined with the playoff knee injury suffered by left tackle Ozzy Trapilo that could potentially sideline him for part of the 2026 season, left the Bears in need of some OL additions this offseason.

Their latest move will reunite Dalman with Thuney, who was his teammate and road roommate during their college careers at NC State.

The Bears' latest trade can't be made official until the league year officially starts March 11.

In New England, the transaction could mean a positional change for Jared Wilson, who played his rookie season at left guard rather than his natural position of center. That could make left guard a need for the Patriots heading into next week's free agency opening and the 2026 draft on April 23.