When the Chicago Bears traded with the New England Patriots for center Garrett Bradbury, it appeared the franchise had its answer. Bradbury offered stability on the inside and was an obvious replacement for Drew Dalman. Instead, the Bears not only brought in Bradbury but drafted Logan Jones, who has wasted no time making an impact and appearing to be a potential building block of the future for Chicago.
Bradbury has gone from a clear starter, to being forced to fight for his role after what was a solid 2025 season. The current Chicago center spent last year with New England and finished the year with zero sacks given up and no penalties committed, pointing to the veteran presence the Bears added. As great as this might be, there is a reason why Jones was drafted despite the presence of Bradbury.
The rookie has made that clear, coming into rookie minicamp and playing at a high level while having all the right answers. It was a glimpse of the center's potential and why the Bears might have found a long-term answer to play alongside Caleb Williams.
Bears Put Together Unexpected Competition Adding Logan Jones and Garrett Bradbury
As solid as Bradbury has been throughout his career, the lineman is an aging veteran who provides a short-term answer after Dalman's surprise retirement. Chicago saw the opportunity to answer this, with Jones clearly having the potential to give the team a decade of stability. With this in mind, there is no question that the most obvious and entertaining battle heading into the summer is at the center position.
Watching how Chicago manages expectations and judges two such important players should provide no shortage of entertainment. It is a surprise position battle because of the fact that no one expected one to emerge after the trade to land Bradbury.
Still, while it is outside the box to continue to add to the position, it is easy to see the vision and understand why Jones was brought in. The Bears clearly have prioritized offensive line stability and understand the importance of having a more consistent level of protection for Williams moving into the 2026 season.
Whether that is Bradbury for one year before handing off to Jones or whether the rookie overtakes the veteran remains to be seen. What can't be questioned is the excitement around the battle and the mounting expectation that Chicago is going to have found the best possible answer.
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