The Bears have seemingly already found their next center.
Chicago is set to acquire offensive lineman Garrett Bradbury from the Patriots, with the deal not being processed until the new league year begins next Wednesday, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Friday.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Bears are sending a 2027 fifth-round pick to New England in exchange for Bradbury.
Bradbury, 30, is coming off his seventh NFL season, with last year being his first and only in New England, where he started in all 17 games.
Before his brief tenure with the Patriots, Bradbury spent six seasons with the Vikings after the team drafted him with the No. 18 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.
This deal is the latest in a slew of moves for Chicago over the past week, and fills their void at the center position after 2025 Pro Bowler Drew Dalman abruptly announced his retirement at just 27 years old.
Dalman spent just five seasons in the NFL and signed a three-year deal worth $42 million with the Bears ahead of last season.
It’s unclear exactly why Dalman chose to step away from the game, but some have noted that his decision to do so was similar to that of his father, former offensive lineman Chris Dalman, and his decision to retire at 29.
“There was some rumblings about this at the NFL Combine,” ESPN Bears reporter Courtney Cronin said Wednesday on “NFL Live.”
“He played every single snap last year and no health issues to speak of… but Drew has seen the effects that an NFL career can have on someone.”
In addition to Dalman’s retirement, the Bears also acquired wide receiver DJ Moore and a 2026 fifth-round pick from the Bills in exchange for a 2026 second-rounder on Thursday.
Chicago also released two-time Pro Bowl linebacker Tremaine Edmunds to create an extra $15 million in cap space for the team.
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