Patriots OL Poised to Move Positions After Garrett Bradbury Trade

New England Patriots offensive lineman Jared Wilson may be on the verge of a career-altering change heading into the 2026 NFL season.

Despite spending his rookie season as the team’s starting left guard, the former Georgia Bulldog appears to be the early front runner to become New England’s starting center in the upcoming season.

With only a few days remaining until the start of the league year, the Pats have agreed to trade Bradbury to the Chicago Bears in exchange for a 2027 fifth-round draft choice. In addition to gaining additional draft capital, trading Bradbury saves the Patriots $4.695 million against the salary cap. According to Patriots salary cap expert Miguel Benzan, the team now is $61.64 million under the NFL’s spending ceiling.

Still, the Pats’ greatest return on investment from trading Bradbury to the Windy City may eventually be moving Wilson back to his natural position — manning the middle of an improved, but evolving offensive line.

Jared Wilson Remains a Possibility at Center

Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; New England Patriots guard Jared Wilson (58) against the Seattle Seahawks during Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

New England’s third-round selection (No. 95 overall) in last April’s draft experienced his share of struggles in maintaining the strength and positioning as the line’s interior left guard. Wilson aligned on 92 percent of the team’s offensive snaps — earning a 62.2 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus, and an overall grade of 49.9.

Though Wilson had his standout moments, he has long been expected to make a move inside, where he is expected to be a more comfortable fit for his skill set — as well as the position he exemplarily played during his college career as a Georgia Bulldog. With Bradbury’s exit, the path is now set for him to take the reins as New England’s new man in the middle.

As a collegiate center, Wilson earned second-team All-SEC honors in 2024 and was heralded — by consensus — as the best pure center prospect in his draft class. His 4.84 seconds of running time in the 40-yard dash placed him at the top of his position at the NFL Scouting Combine. Known for his strength and athleticism, Wilson has the makings a a ready-made NFL center.

Still, it should be noted that Bradbury’s trade does not guarantee Wilson’s promotion. Reserve lineman Ben Brown allowed zero sacks and two hits on quarterback Drake Maye on over 150 pass blocking snaps last season, while also demonstrating prowess as a run blocker. As a result, Brown signed a two-year, $6.6 million contract extension with the Pats in December. Though many see Brown primarily as a reserve, he could be a short-term starter, if Wilson is not moved.

Ultimately, the Patriots will now need to decide whether to keep Wilson at left guard or move him inside to center. With both free agency and the 2026 NFL Draft still ahead on the horizon, New England has plenty of options to replace Bradbury’s on-field contributions — a point Wolf made clear when speaking with reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine in February.

“I think there’s openness to everything with him,” Wolf said. “You know, [Wilson] had never played guard before. He had good moments and bad moments, but he certainly has the physical ability to play there, and he also has the intelligence and the vocal ability to play center …

“But we have several options there … so, I think those are conversations we’re still having.”

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