Chicago Bears pull off major trade to replace starter who abruptly retired at 27 over health concerns
The Chicago Bears haver landed a new center after the shocking retirement of starter Drew Dalman earlier this week.
As the Daily Mail has confirmed, the Bears have agreed in principle to a deal that will bring New England’s Garrett Bradbury to Chicago for a 2027 fifth-round pick. ESPN was the first to report the trade, which cannot become official until the NFL calendar flips on Wednesday.
Bradbury, 30, started all 17 for the Patriots in 2025 en route to a Super Bowl berth. In fact, he hasn’t missed a game since 2023, when he was still a member of the Minnesota Vikings. He has a cap figure of $5.7 million for 2026, but can become a free agent in 2027.
For the Patriots, the deal likely means rookie left guard Jared Wilson is returning to center, the position he played at Georgia. It remains to be seen who the Patriots will find to step in at left guard alongside last year’s first-round draft pick, left tackle Will Campbell.
But for the Bears, the deal quickly answers their biggest offseason question following Dalman’s sudden retirement. The Stanford product walked away from a $43million contract because, according to one team insider, he wanted to preserve his health.
The Bears finished 11-6 in 2025 as second-year quarterback Caleb Williams enjoyed a breakout season. Chicago’s playoff run came to an end in the divisional round against the Los Angeles Rams.
As the Daily Mail has confirmed, the Bears have agreed in principle to a deal that will bring New England’s Garrett Bradbury to Chicago for a 2027 fifth-round pick
Dalman unexpectedly retired this week at just 27. He was still owed more than $40 million
Dalman stunned Chicago this week by informing head coach Ben Johnson that he will not be returning next season after making the shock decision to retire.
He chose to bow out from the sport at a mysterious time, having only put pen to paper on a huge three-year deal 12 months ago. Since then. he’s enjoyed arguably the best season of his career in 2025.
Yet according to ESPN Bears reporter Courtney Cronin, Dalman – whose dad Chris played for the San Francisco 49ers from 1993-2000 – opted to retire due to concerns over the long-term health risks the sport poses.
‘There was some rumblings about this at the NFL Combine,’ Cronin said about Dalman’s decision to retire Wednesday on ‘NFL Live.’
‘He played every single snap last year and no health issues to speak of… but Drew has seen the effects that an NFL career can have on someone.’
Cronin went on to explain that Dalman is someone who thinks in ‘black and white terms’ and would have come to the decision after growing up in an NFL family and witnessing the dangers first-hand.
The California-born player, who played college football for the Stanford Cardinal, spent the first four seasons of his NFL career with the Atlanta Falcons after being drafted in the fourth round.
Garrett Bradbury started all 17 for the Patriots in 2025 en route to a Super Bowl berth
He then moved to Chicago in 2025 and helped the Bears make the playoffs in Johnson’s first season as head coach.
The offensive line was a huge plus for the Bears last season after they traded for Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney before signing Dalman to play in front of quarterback Caleb Williams.
Dalman played a key role in their NFC North title triumph last season, earning him the first Pro Bowl selection of his career.
But now the Bears are left searching for another new center, while also dealing with the absence of left tackle Ozzy Trapilo after he ruptured his patellar tendon in the playoffs.
