Veteran center Garrett Bradbury has yet to take a snap as the Chicago Bears' starting center and is already being placed on the hot seat. The franchise used its second pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to take Iowa center Logan Jones, bringing in what the team hopes is the future at the position. Bradbury is on an expiring contract and clearly shouldn't be expecting an extension anytime soon after Chicago's draft decision.
For the Bears, it makes sense to look towards the future and have both a veteran and youthful option. Even if Bradbury struggles and Jones steps into the gap created, you've found a long-term answer to help stabilize the offensive line. It is a win-win from Chicago's perspective, but a clear warning to the veteran offseason addition.
Bradbury is coming off an incredible season playing 642 snaps of pass protection with the New England Patriots, allowing no sacks. The veteran center allowed just 20 pressures and was flagged for zero penalties despite playing the entire season. While this is elite production, it seems the Bears don't completely trust that a repeat season is on the way.
Drafting a center so early tells fans two things: first, that Bradbury isn't viewed as a long-term option, but a rental. The second is that the franchise is completely open to the idea of a rookie stepping in if Bradbury struggles with injuries or has any regression from a season ago.
Bears Send Offseason Addition Garrett Bradbury Clear Warning with Second-Round Selection
For Bradbury, it has to be a bit disheartening to play at such a high level for the defending AFC champions and still find himself in a potential battle. While it is the veteran's job to lose, there is a level of pressure and expectations that Bradbury now must live up to or face possible relegation, a scenario that wasn't on the table before the draft.
Chicago restocking the offensive line is a great idea, considering the punishment that Caleb Williams has taken in his first two seasons in the league. Having options is always a plus, and if both players are performing at a high level, you can consider shifting one of the center options to guard if needed. Extra depth is never bad from a team perspective and is a needed improvement in comparison to the past two seasons.
The counter to this is looking at the clear message this sends to Bradbury, who now understands he is playing on borrowed time in Chicago. The Bears clearly already have the future in mind, and it appears this one doesn't include the veteran, as Chicago is giving itself some margin for error in 2026 while focusing on added certainty down the road.
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