With Drew Dalman retiring, Bears sign Patriots center as replacement

With the Chicago Bears center Drew Dalman retiring, the team has signed New England Patriots center Garrett Bradbury as a replacement.

On Friday afternoon, NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reported that the Chicago Bears were signing Patriots center Garrett Bradbury to replace recently retired Drew Dalman. Bradbury is fresh off a Super Bowl run in 2025. The deal will not be official until the NFL's new league year officially begins on March 11th.

Dalman's retirement announcement caught the Bears a little off guard and was a bit of a surprise to folks around the league. Bears general manager Ryan Poles stepped in swiftly to nab a notable replacement.

Bradbury was a 2019 first-round pick for the Minnesota Vikings before spending time with the Patriots. Bradbury has started 105 games over his career and has only missed one game in the last two years. He started every game for the Patriots' Super Bowl LX run last season.

Bradbury has one season left on his contract and is still owed $3.7 million. The reliable veteran will be playing in 2026 and is looking for a long-term contract.

This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: With Drew Dalman retiring, Bears sign Patriots center as replacement