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Need for a Long-Term Bears Center Led to O-Line Legacy's Visit

The Drew Dalman retirement has hit the Bears hard, and although they signed Garrett Bradbury they do need to add a possible project at center.
Gene Chamberlain|
The Bears will have a visit from James Brockemeyer, son of former Bears tackle Blake.
The Bears will have a visit from James Brockemeyer, son of former Bears tackle Blake. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

The Bears needed a left tackle to protect the blind side of their future, their first-round quarterback.

After attempts to find one in the draft had met with problems, they decided to spend money in free agency. The year was 1999 and the quarterback was Cade McNown. Of course, McNown failed but the new left tackle, Blake Brockermeyer, helped the offense with Jim Miller and Shane Matthews at quarterback in winning the division three years later. Then he left for Denver in free agency and played only a few more years.

Now, Brockemeyer's son is being considered by the Bears in the draft process. NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported James Brockermeyer had a 30 visit with the Bears at Halas Hall. But he's not a tackle, he's a possible long-term center.

Miami was one of only three stops for Brockermeyer, who began his career at Alabama and left after two seasons but for TCU. Then he came to the Hurricanes last year and started 16 games for a team that made the national title game after appearing in just 28 games his first three years.

The Brockermeyers are a sort of Texas family football tradition. Kae played for famed Texas coach Darrell Royal, his son was Blake and now James is one of four brothers who played. Jack played at Rice, Luke walked on at Texas and earned a scholarship before going into coaching. James' twin brother Tommy played  at Alabama with James and then went to TCU but quit football later after what was reported to be an injury situation.

What's important for the Bears is Brockermeyer is not regarded one of the better centers in the draft. He's not in Mel Kiper's top 11 centers.

Brockemeyer is only 297 pounds and NFL.com's draft analyst Lance Zierlein suggests he is a gritty, smart type but will have issues facing some of the more powerful and bigger nose tackles. Pro Football Focus' big board has him only at No. 435 for this class and obviously regards him as an undrafted free agent type. He's regarded a bit more seriously on the NFL Mock Draft Data Base's big board, at No. 287 among all interior offensive linemen.

PFF did rank him 27th among all centers last year at Miami and he was 49th the previous season at TCU, but left Alabama after playing just 28 snaps in 2023.

How it all works for Bears

This would be someone to put in to the training camp mix, whether drafted in Round 7 or undrafted, and the Bears would need to draft someone earlier who figures as their heir apparent to Garrett Bradbury.

Brockemeyer isn't even the only center with family ties to the Bears in this draft. Olin Kreutz's son Josh, from Illinois, is hoping to be selected but also faces long odds based on predraft rankings. Olin and Blake both played on that same line that won the NFC Central title in 2001.

It could also be the Bears have faith in second-year guard Luke Newman to make a transition to center, or at least learn to play it better.

"He's got a lot of position flex," line coach Dan Roushar said about him last season. "He can go left, he can go right, and we've tried to get him some work at center. That's still a developmental process for him, but been really encouraged with what Luke's done."

It's all just a reminder of how devastating the retirement of Drew Dalman was for the Bears offensive line. They went from a Pro Bowl center, regarded as top eight in the league by Pro Football Focus, to more of an average player on his third team in three years with Bradbury.

They need a longer-term answer to a key position that they seemed to have finally solved after struggling there since Roberto Garza's career ended following the 2014 season. Then Dalman left and it's become a real question mark.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

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