Bears Must Bench Garrett Bradbury After Mistake-Ridden Week 2 Performance

A disastrous first-half performance by Garrett Bradbury should earn him a spot on the bench.

Chicago Bears C Garrett Bradbury reacts to a touchdown scored by RB D'Andre Swift. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The time for the Chicago Bears second-round pick of the 2026 NFL draft must be now. During a rainy Week 2 game against the Minnesota Vikings, current starting center Garrett Bradbury commited not one, not two, not even three penalties in the first half. By the time the Bears went into the locker room at halftime, trailing by a score of 6-3, Bradbury had committed five penalties.

Rain or not, experience in the system or not, that is completely unacceptable for a veteran NFL offensive lineman. The advantage to starting Bradbury was supposed to be his NFL experience, which should make for a smoother transition for head coach Ben Johnson's offense after Drew Dalman's shocking retirement this offseason.

This disastrous Week 2 game, which saw Tyson Bagent enter after Caleb Williams' tragic injury, should be the last time that we see Bradbury start a game for the Bears this season, and they should turn instead to the rookie and former Iowa center Logan Jones.

Logan Jones can step in immediately to help the Bears get back on track

Chicago Bears offensive lineman Logan Jones speaks at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

One of the biggest selling points on Jones in the 2026 NFL draft was his experience. He's already 25-years-old, which means he's got a higher floor than most rookie centers, and his 50 games as Iowa's center, facing off against the best defenses in college football, should make his learning curve more of a gentle slope.

I had expected there to be a fierce training camp battle for the starting center position, but that never materialized. In fact, the center competition may have been already decided by early August. Jones never got reps with the starters, and they all went to the veteran Bradbury instead.

As aforementioned, the Bears probably wanted to go with an experienced veteran over a rookie. Bradbury, a former first-round pick, has been around the block a time or two, and he was even the starting center for the New England Patriots during their Super Bowl run last year. However, the flip side of that argument is that Bradbury's experience was largely bad. He was consistently one of the lowest graded centers in the NFL, and the Patriots' offensive line got trounced in the playoffs.

And now, a miserable first half against the Minnesota Vikings should be the final nail in Bradbuy's coffin. He can still be a mentor to Jones and serve as a reliable backup or even a swing guard, but it's time for the Bears to turn to the rookie.

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