Chicago Bears
center Drew Dalman
has informed the team he is retiring, according to multiple reports.
ESPN was first
to report the news.
The 27-year-old signed a three-year, $42 million ($26.5 million guaranteed) contract during free agency last offseason as part of the Bears' rebuild of their interior offensive line. Dalman rewarded Chicago by starting all 17 games and earning a Pro Bowl nod.
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Tyler Biadasz
, the former Dallas Cowboys
and Washington Commanders
center who was released by the Commanders on Monday, is visiting with the Bears, according to NFL Media.
Dalman, who played collegiately at Stanford, was a fourth-round pick in the 2021 draft by the Atlanta Falcons
; he spent the first four seasons of his career with the team. He suffered an ankle injury that cost him half of his 2024 season and missed three games the year prior.
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection after Trent McDuffie trade
1. Las Vegas Raiders – Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
(Aaron Doster, Imagn Images)
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection after Trent McDuffie trade
1. Las Vegas Raiders – Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
(Aaron Doster, Imagn Images)
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NFL mock draft: Final projection features major shift in early picks
2. New York Jets – OLB/DE David Bailey, Texas Tech
(Nathan Giese, Avalanche-Journal)
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NFL mock draft: Final projection features major shift in early picks
3. Arizona Cardinals – OLB/DE Arvell Reese, Ohio State
(Adam Cairns, Columbus Dispatch)
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NFL mock draft: Final projection features major shift in early picks
4. Tennessee Titans – RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
(Michael Caterina, Imagn Images)
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NFL mock draft: Final projection features major shift in early picks
5. New York Giants – LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State
(Joseph Maiorana, Imagn Images)
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NFL mock draft: Final projection features major shift in early picks
6. Cleveland Browns – OL Francis Mauigoa, Miami (Fla.)
(Mark J. Rebilas, Imagn Images)
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NFL mock draft: Final projection features major shift in early picks
7. Washington Commanders – S Caleb Downs, Ohio State
(Barbara J. Perenic, Columbus Dispatch)
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NFL mock draft: Final projection features major shift in early picks
8. New Orleans Saints – WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State
(Grace Smith, IndyStar)
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NFL mock draft: Final projection features major shift in early picks
9. Kansas City Chiefs – CB Mansoor Delane, LSU
(Alex Martin, Greenville News)
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NFL mock draft: Final projection features major shift in early picks
10. Cincinnati Bengals – DE Rueben Bain Jr., Miami (Fla.)
(Mark J. Rebilas, Imagn Images)
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NFL mock draft: Final projection features major shift in early picks
11. Miami Dolphins – OT Spencer Fano, Utah
(Rob Gray, Imagn Images)
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NFL mock draft: Big-name prospect drops in latest first-round projection
12. Dallas Cowboys – CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
(Brianna Paciorka, News Sentinel)
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NFL mock draft: Final projection features major shift in early picks
13. Los Angeles Rams (from Atlanta Falcons) – WR Denzel Boston, Washington
(Joe Nicholson, Imagn Images)
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NFL mock draft: Free agency, trades change first-round projection
14. Baltimore Ravens – DL Caleb Banks, Florida
(Vasha Hunt, Imagn Images)
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NFL mock draft: Final projection features major shift in early picks
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
(Ben Lonergan, The Register-Guard)
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection after Trent McDuffie trade
16. New York Jets (from Indianapolis Colts) – WR Makai Lemon, USC
(Kirby Lee, Imagn Images)
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NFL mock draft: Final projection features major shift in early picks
17. Detroit Lions – OT Monroe Freeling, Georgia
(Kevin C. Cox, Getty Images)
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NFL mock draft: Final projection features major shift in early picks
18. Minnesota Vikings – S Dillon Thieneman, Oregon
(Soobum Im, Getty Images)
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NFL mock draft: Free agency, trades change first-round projection
19. Carolina Panthers – DT Peter Woods, Clemson
(Ken Ruinard, USA Today Network South Carolina)
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NFL mock draft: Final projection features major shift in early picks
20. Dallas Cowboys (from Green Bay Packers) – OLB/DE T.J. Parker, Clemson
(Katie DeVaney, Getty Images)
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NFL mock draft: Final projection features major shift in early picks
21. Pittsburgh Steelers – WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
(Petre Thomas, Imagn Images)
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NFL mock draft: Final projection features major shift in early picks
22. Los Angeles Chargers – G Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State
(Mark J. Rebilas, Imagn Images)
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NFL mock draft: Final projection features major shift in early picks
23. Philadelphia Eagles – DE/OLB Akheem Mesidor, Miami (Fla.)
(Jerome Miron, Imagn Images)
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NFL mock draft: Final projection features major shift in early picks
24. Cleveland Browns (from Jacksonville Jaguars) – WR Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana
(Gary A. Vasquez, Imagn Images)
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NFL mock draft: Top-10 surprises in latest first-round projection
25. Chicago Bears – S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo
(Jeff Romance, Imagn Images)
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection after Trent McDuffie trade
26. Buffalo Bills – WR Malachi Fields, Notre Dame
(MICHAEL CLUBB, SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE)
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NFL mock draft: Final projection features major shift in early picks
27. San Francisco 49ers – Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah
(Jay Biggerstaff, Imagn Images)
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NFL mock draft: Final projection features major shift in early picks
28. Houston Texans – Blake Miller, OT, Clemson
(Ken Ruinard, USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
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NFL mock draft: Free agency, trades change first-round projection
29. Kansas City Chiefs (from Los Angeles Rams) – Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State
(Petre Thomas, Petre Thomas-Imagn Images)
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NFL mock draft: Free agency, trades change first-round projection
30. Denver Broncos – WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M
(Jay Biggerstaff, Imagn Images)
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NFL mock draft: Final projection features major shift in early picks
31. New England Patriots – DE Keldric Faulk, Auburn
(Jake Crandall, Advertiser)
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection after Trent McDuffie trade
32. Seattle Seahawks – RB Jadarian Price, Notre Dame
(Michael Caterina, Imagn Images)
Dalman's father, Chris, was also a NFL offensive lineman (and Stanford alum) and spent seven years in the league (1993-1999).
Bears starting quarterback Caleb Williams
paid a one-word tribute to Dalman on X following the news:
"Hulk...," he posted with a smiling crying emoji, a reference to Dalman's nickname.
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"It's a huge privilege, having that caliber of coach as my high school line coach, I felt pretty spoiled," Dalman told USA TODAY Sports during training camp last July. "He was a phenomenal player and coach, so that was a huge asset."
Beyond football, Dalman admired his father as a kid. But as his football journey progressed, he said he wanted to achieve the same goals "and you just relate more and more."
"There are things that he knows that I understand that I didn't before," Dalman said.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:
Bears center Drew Dalman retiring from NFL at age 27: report
