The Chicago Bears moved fast after a sudden hole opened at the center position. The team landed Garrett Bradbury in a trade with the New England Patriots, according to reports on March 6. The move arrives just days after Pro Bowl center Drew Dalman stunned the league with his retirement.
The Bears had invested $42 million in Dalman last offseason. His decision left the team with a costly problem in the middle of the offensive line. The trade for Garrett Bradbury now gives the team an experienced starter as they reshape the unit ahead of the 2026 NFL season.
Chicago Bears plug the center gap with veteran Garett Bradbury after Drew Dalman’s retirement shock
The Chicago Bears did not wait long to address the problem. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Garett Bradbury’s trade news will become official when the new league year opens on March 11. Chicago will send a 2027 fifth-round pick to the New England Patriots.
The post reads, “Sources: The #Patriots are trading center Garrett Bradbury to the #Bears, giving them a new center. The deal can’t officially be processed until the league year begins.”
Bradbury brings stability to a position that suddenly lacked depth. The 30-year-old started all 17 games for the New England Patriots in the 2025 season. His durability became a key factor in Chicago’s decision.
The veteran center entered the league as the No. 18 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft with the Minnesota Vikings. He spent six seasons in Minnesota before joining New England last year. Across seven NFL seasons, Garrett Bradbury has more than 100 regular-season starts.
Per Garrett Bradbury’s PFF rating, he started 21 games and played 1,334 snaps in his lone season with the Patriots, showing his durability and importance on the offensive line. He allowed only 2 sacks and 4 QB hits, while posting a 98.0 pass block efficiency, indicating solid protection in passing situations.
However, he still gave up 29 pressures and 23 hurries, and his 64.1 pass block grade and 55.9 run block grade suggest he performed better in pass protection than in the run game overall.
Chicago’s urgency links directly to Dalman’s retirement. The Pro Bowler played every offensive snap in 2025 and showed no major injury concerns. Yet he chose to walk away at just 27. Courtney Cronin discussed the situation on ESPN’s NFL Live on March 5 during coverage from the NFL Combine.
She explained that Dalman had seen the long-term effects of football on former players. “He played every single snap last year, and there were no health issues,” Cronin said on the show. “But Drew has seen the effects that an NFL career can have on someone.”
That decision forced Chicago Beats to act quickly. The front office wanted a proven centre that could step in from Day 1. Bradbury fits that profile.
This trade move also forms part of a busy week for the Bears. The team added wide receiver DJ Moore through another deal and released linebacker Tremaine Edmunds to clear cap space. Now the focus shifts to the offensive line. With Bradbury in the middle, Chicago hopes the unit regains balance after Drew Dalman’s sudden exit.
Get the latest ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, IND vs ENG Live Score updates, including the full schedule, teams, points table, and key series stats such as top run-scorers and wicket-takers.
