Drew Dalman Retires From NFL After One Season With Bears

In a stunning move, Chicago Bears center Drew Dalman has told the Bears that he is retiring from the NFL, according to ESPN insider Adam Schefter. Dalman is just 27 years old and has only played five seasons. In his one year with Chicago, Dalman secured his first and only Pro Bowl nod.

ESPN sources: Bears Pro Bowl center Drew Dalman has informed the team that he is retiring from the NFL at age 27. Dalman left Stanford in 2021, and after four seasons in Atlanta and one in Chicago, he has made the sudden and surprising decision to retire. pic.twitter.com/SKJcXa1res
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 3, 2026

The Drew Dalman signing last offseason was one of Ryan Poles' biggest moves in fixing the offensive line, after a massive trade for all-Pro guard Joe Thuney.

Why did Dalman retire?

As of right now, we don't have any idea why Dalman retired. He's still very young at 27 years old, and he doesn't have a long history of injuries. Any rumors about a reason for this shocking decision would be pure speculation at this point, and fans shouldn't be getting into speculation when it comes to players' retirements.

What options do the Bears have at Center?

This is a stunning development for the Bears, and a massive roster hole now has to be filled, but it's not a hopeless situation. The Washington Commanders recently released their center, Tyler Biadasz, and the Bears are already hosting him for a visit. There is also Tyler Linderbaum, who is a free agent from the Baltimore Ravens.

If the Bears want to add Linderbaum, they will likely have to give him the biggest center contract in NFL history, which will be tough when they're up against the salary cap. At least one silver lining from the Dalman retirement is that he frees up about $14 million in 2026 salary cap.

The Bottom Line

There's no way to sugarcoat things. This is a massive problem for Bears' general manager Ryan Poles. This is arguably the biggest test of his young career as an NFL general manager. Dalman was a Pro Bowl center, the best Bears' center since Olin Kreutz left Chicago. Luckily, Poles does have options in free agency, but it won't come cheap.

Bears fans will simply have to trust in poles and head coach Ben Johnson. It's gotten them this far, after all. Whatever they do, they have to do it quick. The center-quarterback relationship is important, and the Bears can't afford for Caleb Williams to enter OTA's without knowing who will be snapping him the ball.

Why did Dalman retire?

What options do the Bears have at Center?

The Bottom Line

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