Top 26 Chicago Bears of 2026: Garrett Bradbury is Steady Center Presence Team Needs

Ben Johnson praised Bradbury on Day 1 of OTAs. The veteran center's Super Bowl experience and communication skills could make Caleb Williams' life easier.

Former New England Patriots center Garrett Bradbury. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Center Garrett Bradbury is likely stepping into big shoes in his first season with the team and that is part of the reason why he lands at No. 22 on our list of the top 26 Chicago Bears of 2026.

Bradbury was the Bears' solution to Drew Dalman retiring, which was unexpected to say the least. We say he's "likely" stepping into big shoes because Bradbury isn't 100% guaranteed to start.

The Bears drafted Logan Jones out of Iowa in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft and there is a chance he wins the starting job over Bradbury as the two compete this offseason.

However, because of his clear advantage in experience, we give the edge to Bradbury, who has proven to be a steady hand as a starter throughout his career.

Garrett Bradbury's 2025 season

Former New England Patriots center Garrett Bradbury. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After being cut by the Minnesota Vikings, who replaced Bradbury with Ryan Kelly, the veteran signed with the New England Patriots in 2025 and went on to have his best season in pass protection.

Bradbury's 63.1 Pro Football Focus grade doesn't look like much, but his raw numbers tell a different story. He didn't give up a single sack and surrendered just 20 pressures, both career-lows for him.

Bradbury's run-blocking scored a 56.2 PFF grade, a mark that was the lowest of his career. That said, Bradbury has routinely been north of 60 and has two seasons north of 70, so he is always better than what he put on paper in 2025.

Perhaps Bradbury's most important role was helping to bring along second-year quarterback Drake Maye, who ascended to an MVP candidate in his sophomore campaign. The Bears will hope the veteran can help do the same with Caleb Williams.

Bradbury's experience factor

Former New England Patriots center Garrett Bradbury. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

We mentioned Bradbury's experience as a big reason why he is going to secure the starting job over Jones. After last season, his experience now includes a Super Bowl, which is extremely valuable for a Bears team with Super Bowl aspirations.

The former first-round pick has started in all 105 games he has played in during his career, and he has a lot of playoff experience with eight starts, including one in the Super Bowl last season.

With all the responsibilities a center has, it's not an easy job by any means and it's even harder for a rookie to fully grasp in Year 1. We don't have much information on how Jones is doing on that front, but based on what head coach Ben Johnson has said at OTAs, Bradbury's experience is showing up on that front.

"A guy like Garrett Bradbury impressed Day 1 (of OTAS), just with the level of communication that he brings to the table," Johnson said. "He's loud, he's demonstrative. I know that he's going to be able to get all five guys on the same page."

Bradbury's experience is even more valuable when a team has a young quarterback like the Bears have in Williams. The veteran is going to make Williams' life easier, especially before the snap.

The good and bad of Bradbury

Former New England Patriots center Garrett Bradbury. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Bradbury's game does have some warts, which is why he didn't land higher in our rankings.

The first thing to point out is how Bradbury is a bit undersized at 6-foot-3 and 300 pounds, which can lead to him getting pushed around a bit.

However, that clearly isn't much of a concern to Chicago, who not only traded for Bradbury but drafted Jones, who is 6-foot-2 and 299 pounds, a full inch and pound smaller than Bradbury.

What Bradbury lacks in size he makes up for in athleticism. He was a tight end before transitioning to an offensive lineman at N.C. State and he tallied a 9.93 Relative Athletic Score out of 10.

Pass-blocking has typically been Bradbury's biggest issue and he has always been a better run-blocker. Bradbury's 2025 PFF grades and pass-blocking stats are outliers for his career.

While Bradbury has normally left a lot to be desired in pass pro, the wheels have never completely come off. He has never given up more than five sacks or 37 pressures in a single season.

Keep an eye on Bradbury's penalties. He didn't have any last season, but he had four or more in the previous six campaigns, including six in 2024 and a career-high eight in 2019 and 2021.

The right center at the right time

Former New England Patriots center Garrett Bradbury. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While Jones isn't going to be an All-Pro, he is no doubt a solid replacement for Dalman considering the circumstances.

The Bears had to quickly pivot to shore up the center spot, and had to do so unexpected and with limited resources in a market that didn't have much to choose from.

Bradbury is a steady hand who can call the shots and get the ball cleanly to Williams while also providing adequate blocking that ensures the game won't get wrecked up the middle.

Even if Bradbury doesn't win the starting job or loses it at some point to Jones, the kind of mentorship he can provide to the rookie will still make him worth every penny of his contract.