Chicago Bears’ top offseason addition already on shaky ground

The Chicago Bears were thrown for a loop back in early March when center Drew Dalman suddenly announced his retirement at the age of 27, leaving a gaping hole in the middle of the Bears’ offensive line.

The Bears responded by swinging a trade with the New England Patriots to acquire Garrett Bradbury just a few days later, and earlier this week, they restructured his contract to give him $1 million more in guaranteed money on his $4.7 million salary for 2026.

All that, and Bradbury might not even be Chicago’s starting center next season.

The Bears selected Iowa Hawkeyes star Logan Jones in the second round of the NFL Draft last month, a clear warning shot at Bradbury, who has never been anything more than just an average lineman. But just how much danger is Bradbury actually in?

If head coach Ben Johnson’s comments are any indication, it seems like Bradbury is certainly at risk of losing his job.

Chicago Bears center Garrett Bradbury could lose his job

While speaking to the media at Bears rookie minicamp, Johnson explained just how impressed he has been with Jones.

“Logan was one that stood out,” Johnson said of Jones’ top-30 visit. “My visit with him, when he was here, [I] was extremely impressed by the football knowledge, makeup, very mature. To me, it’s not we’re getting a rookie; we’re getting a guy that’s a little bit more of a seasoned player, which really is not uncommon for those Iowa linemen.”

So does that mean Jones could be ready to play as soon as Week 1?

“Time will tell,” Johnson added. “The ball’s in his court as far as I’m concerned. He understands that, just like everyone else, we’re looking to create competition. Consistency, day after day and building trust – not only with Caleb [Williams] and the other quarterbacks but within that offensive line room and then obviously with the coaching staff. It’s just a matter of time to build trust.”

In the event that Jones does outperform Bradbury in camp and steals his job, Chicago could ultimately trade Bradbury, who surely has enough value for the Bears to reap a Day 3 pick in return. Of course, they will have to make sure that Jones is entirely ready before they make such a move.

Chicago’s offensive line was much improved in 2025, and the last thing the Bears want is for the unit to take a step back next fall.

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