The Chicago Bears had one of the most impressive pivots of the offseason when they acquired center Garrett Bradbury from the New England Patriots.
The trade was made out of necessity when Drew Dalman abruptly retired earlier this offseason, and it gave the Bears an established center without having to pay the steep market price that was given to Tyler Linderbaum ($27 million annual average value) and Connor McGovern ($13.1 million AAV) this offseason.
Because of those deals, the Bradbury trade looks great on paper, and it could look great on the field playing with the best offensive line group of his career. But just as it appears Bradbury could be a multi-year solution, that idea could be changed as the Bears explore a deep center class in this year’s NFL draft.
Bears Could Make Garrett Bradbury a Stopgap at Center After NFL Draft
The talent in this year’s class at center can be seen on the NFL Mock Draft Database’s consensus big board. T
The class contains eight interior offensive linemen in the top 100. That list includes the likes of Auburn’s Connor Lew (No. 72), Kansas State’s Sam Hecht (No. 79), and Iowa’s Logan Jones (No. 99). Florida’s Jake Slaughter (No. 102) is also located outside the top 100 picks, but these aren’t the only players that Bradbury has to worry about.
The NFL is always looking for versatility in the trenches, and the offensive line is a prime example. While someone like Penn State's Olaivavega Ioane is considered a guard, he has experience at center and could be moved if a team feels comfortable with that decision. It’s also something that has happened frequently at Ben Johnson’s former employer, as the Detroit Lions cross-trained Tate Ratledge at center before ultimately sticking with him at right guard.
With the 25th overall pick in the first round, the Bears may not be able to draft Ioane (No. 16 on the big board) with the intent to move him to center. Chicago could also target some of the other versatile prospects, including Iowa’s Gennings Dunker (No. 61) or Oklahoma’s Febechi Nwaiwu (No. 222).
No matter who it is, it could be trouble for Bradbury if they land in Chicago. Bradbury had one of the best years of his career with the Patriots, and his biggest improvement was in pass protection. While he allowed 29 pressures and two sacks on 760 pass-blocking snaps, according to Pro Football Focus, Bears fans may remember his time with the Minnesota Vikings when the NFC North treated him like a cruiserweight.
Concerns Are Clear
The most glaring example was the 2024 season, where Bradbury led all centers with 38 pressures and allowed four sacks on 676 pass-blocking snaps with the Vikings. The former first-round pick also displayed little sand in his pants, ranking in the top five in pressures allowed five times over his six seasons in Minnesota.
The struggles in pass protection led to his release last spring, and he seemed to fix the problem in New England. But it’s a little concerning that the Patriots didn’t want to keep him around for the final year of his contract, as his $4.75 million annual average value ranks 16th among centers, according to OverTheCap.
The Patriots have 2025 third-round pick Logan Jones to take over, who comes at a lower price than Bradbury. However, Bradbury’s pressure issues resurfaced in the playoffs with nine pressures and two sacks allowed on 155 pass-blocking snaps, which likely fueled the Patriots’ decision to trade him.
While the Bears could re-sign him if he performs well, his price could also go up thanks to the deals that were handed out this offseason. In the end, this could make Bradbury more of a stopgap than a long-term solution, and it could change his tenure in Chicago if the Bears add a center in the upcoming draft.