The Chicago Bears went into the offseason with a center problem, and for a while it looked like they had one answer only for it to vanish. Drew Dahlman was a priority signing last season, then he unexpectedly retired after one year in Chicago.
That forced the Bears to move quickly. They traded for Garrett Bradbury and also drafted Logan Jones in the second round, giving themselves a backup plan if the position didn’t settle the way they hoped. Early in camp, though, Bradbury appears to be doing exactly what the Bears brought him in to do.
Cole Kmet pointed to Bradbury’s communication as the biggest early difference, and he didn’t sound like a player dealing with a shaky spot in the middle of the line.
“It really has been flawless so far,” said Kmet. “You talk about communication in the walk-throughs that we had and practice; things have been really clear and concise.”
That matters in the opening stretch of training camp, when getting everyone on the same page can be just as important as anything that happens in pads. Kmet said the Bears have benefited from that clarity, and Bradbury has helped keep the offense organized while the group works through the early install.
That said, this is not a finished job, and nobody in the building should be treating it like one. Jones still has a real path to the starting role, and he has time to push for it as early as Week 1. The Bears also haven’t even put on pads yet, which means the part of the evaluation Bradbury has historically had to survive - the physical stuff - is still ahead.
That’s where the conversation gets more complicated. Bradbury has the reputation of being the cleaner communicator, the player who can line everyone up and keep things moving.
But his size has always been the issue, and bigger, more physical defensive linemen can give him trouble. It’s part of the reason he’s now on his third team in as many years.
For now, though, he’s giving the Bears exactly what they needed from him. Bradbury has bought Jones time to get up to speed mentally while keeping the offense on track. That allows Chicago to keep moving without slowing things down for the rookie.
And once Jones catches up on the mental side, this could get interesting fast. That’s when the real center battle may start to take shape, and that’s the competition Bears fans will want to watch.
In Other News...
Bears Training Camp Is Already Shaking Up A Key Roster Battle
Training camp has already started to sort out a few important questions for the Bears, with some players grabbing momentum early and others losing ground as the roster picture comes into focus. DAndre Swift and Kaliff Raymond have been among the most noticeable risers, while Kyle Monangai and Braxton Jones have gone in the opposite direction, a reminder that August practices can reshape even jobs that looked relatively secure a week ago.
Garrett Bradbury has also stood out for the kind of leadership teams notice long before the games count, and Logan Jones is still working to make his case for a starting role. Injuries have created another layer to watch, giving Ruben Hyppolite more chances to prove himself while Keyshaun Elliott and Noah Sewell have been affected as well, leaving the Bears with a few more moving parts in a competition that already feels unsettled. [Read more 🡒]
Bears Camp Sleeper Is Suddenly Making A Real Roster Push
Kaden Davis has been around enough NFL stops to understand how quickly a camp can change a players standing, and his latest chance with the Bears is starting to feel more real. The recently signed wide receiver has already carved out a reputation as someone who can help in multiple ways, with kickoff return work and special teams experience giving him a path onto the roster even before the offense fully sorts itself out.
The buzz picked up during a recent 7-on-7 drill, when Davis turned in a notable one-handed catch that caught attention inside camp. More than just a highlight, it underscored why he remains in the mix: he knows how to find a role, he brings value beyond offense, and he has familiarity with Ben Johnsons system from their time together in Detroit. For a player who entered the league undrafted in 2022, that combination has made his push worth watching. [Read more 🡒]
Bears Camp Battles Are Starting To Change Who Really Matters
Training camp has a way of sorting out the depth chart before the games even start, and for the Bears, a few of the most watched position battles are already tilting the conversation toward players who were easy to overlook a week ago. Left tackle remains a full-on competition, and Chicago is still sorting through final roster spots at offensive line, running back, defensive tackle, linebacker and cornerback, with preseason practices giving the staff a closer look at who can handle multiple jobs and who can only survive in one.
Zavion Thomas has been one of the more interesting names in that mix, bouncing around different roles and giving the Bears a possible spark if his play keeps trending the right way. The bigger picture is bigger than one player, though, because injuries and camp absences have already widened the opening for some backups to become much more than insurance, and those shifts could end up changing which players the Bears truly need by the time the roster gets cut down. [Read more 🡒]