Ben Johnson sounds off on new Bears center Garrett Bradbury
Bears head coach Ben Johnson believes Garrett Bradbury will fit Chicago's offense "like a glove" following Drew Dalman's retirement.
The Chicago Bears suffered some big losses this offseason, including the surprising retirement of center Drew Dalman after just one season with the team. The Bears quickly pivoted to acquire veteran center Garrett Bradbury in a trade with the New England Patriots to shore up an important position for Ben Johnson's offense. Bradbury started 17 games for the Patriots last season, where he allowed zero sacks in 642 pass blocking-snaps and zero penalties, per Pro Football Focus .
Bradbury also is an affordable option at center, where he's set to carry a $4. 7 million cap hit in 2026. His addition also doesn't stop Chicago from turning to the 2026 NFL Draft for a long-term investment at the position.
Johnson shared his thoughts following Dalman's retirement and the trade for Bradbury, where he believes the shift should be a seamless one for the Bears. While Dalman served as an integral part of the offense's success, Johnson believes Bradbury has the potential to do the same for quarterback Caleb Williams. “We came to a consensus that Garrett was going to fit us like a glove,” Johnson said, via CHGO .
“Obviously, he had a lot of success last year, made it to the Super Bowl. Very cerebral player. Joe Thuney knows him really well, so there’s some natural chemistry that I think we’re going to have on the inside.