Bears acquire Patriots center Garrett Bradbury in trade for 2027 5th round draft pick

Just three days after losing Pro Bowl center Drew Dalman to a stunning early retirement, the Bears have found his successor, acquiring Garrett Bradbury from the Patriots for a 2027 fifth-round pick, according to CBS Sports lead NFL insider Jonathan Jones.

Bradbury, 30, spent the first six seasons of his NFL career with the Vikings. The 2019 first-rounder then signed with the Patriots last offseason as part of New England's major spending spree. He started all 17 games in 2025 as the Patriots rose from one of the league's worst teams to AFC champions under Mike Vrabel, eventually falling to the Seahawks in Super Bowl 60.

The Bears experienced a similar rise in their first season under Ben Johnson, and an offensive line overhaul was a major reason. Chicago traded for guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson and put Dalman in between them with a three-year, $42 million contract. He only played one of those three years, though, before calling it a career.

Chicago has already been plenty busy this offseason, trading wide receiver DJ Moore to the Bills and releasing linebacker Tremaine Edmunds. The Bears had a lot of work to do to become salary-cap compliant, and both of those moves helped. Now, they're hoping to help their on-field product by adding a veteran center after the unexpected Dalman departure.