After the sudden retirement of Drew Dalman
, the Chicago Bears
have started rebuilding their team's offensive line very quickly, as they have made some major decisions regarding trades to move on from the retired player. The sudden retirement of the team's "Hulk" has caused an emotional reaction from the team's star quarterback, Caleb Williams
. However, the role of the new addition to the lineup is something that will be awaited.
"Comp update: Bears are trading a 2027 fifth-round pick to the Patriots
for Garrett Bradbury
." Adam Schefter posted on his X account.
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Following the departure of Drew Dalman, the Chicago Bears
made a major trade move. Center Garrett Bradbury is being traded from the New England Patriots to Chicago in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2027 Draft.
Speaking of Bradbury, he was originally drafted by the Minnesota Vikings
with the 18th overall pick in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
In 2025, he was designated a post-June 1 release by Minnesota and eventually signed a two-year contract with the Patriots
valued at $9.5 million. He started all 21 games the Patriots played in the 2025 season, including Super Bowl LX, a 29–13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks
. However, after just one season, Bradbury has been traded and now has a new team to call home.
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For the Bears, adding Garrett Bradbury could still be a good move for the team. Bradbury will replace Drew Dalman at center, though matching Dalman's performance could be a challenge. Dalman was ranked seventh among the best centers in the league last season by Pro Football Focus, while Bradbury was ranked 29th and has never finished in the top 10. Moreover, Bradbury did not allow a sack but gave up 29 pressures, while Dalman gave up 21 (as per CBS Sports).
It will be interesting to see how this deal pans out for the Bears. The trade is done. However, it seems Caleb Williams was overwhelmed by Dalman's retirement announcement.
Caleb Williams' tearful goodbye to Bears center Drew Dalman
After the news of Drew Dalman's retirement, the Chicago Bears quarterback couldn't hide his emotions. Caleb Williams posted a sad emoji and wrote "Hulk" as his reaction to the news on social media.
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"I call Drew Dalman the Hulk," Williams said. "He's the brains behind it all, but when he gets out there on the field, he's strong as can be, fast, and the right guy for the job for us and for my future and our future here."
The comment is a reference to Williams naming each member of his offensive line after Avengers from Marvel.
Recently, the Bears' official account also bid farewell to the guard.
"Thank you, Drew!" the Bears' official Instagram account posted. "Wishing you the best of luck in this next chapter."
The Bears' offensive line, anchored by Drew Dalman, played a huge role in the team's first playoff appearance in 15 years. The offensive line ranked No. 5 in run block win rate and No. 1 in pass block win rate. That protection helped Caleb Williams cut his sacks from a league-high 68 in 2024 to just 24 in 2025.
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As of now, Williams and the Bears are left
with the reality of moving forward without Drew after the star center retired following five years in the league.
Dalman was originally drafted by the Atlanta Falcons
with the 114th pick in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. After spending four seasons with the Falcons, he signed a three-year, $42 million contract with Chicago.
The retirement news came as a surprise since he spent only one season with the Bears, starting 17 regular-season games and playing all 1,154 offensive snaps. His performance also earned him a spot in the 2026 Pro Bowl Game.
Amid speculation about his health or the long-term toll football takes on the body, Dalman has not yet spoken publicly about his retirement decision.
