The Chicago Bears had some serious questions at the center position after Drew Dalman retired unexpectedly this offseason following a Pro Bowl campaign, and Garrett Bradbury has proven not to be the answer.
Bradbury, a former first-round pick and six-year starter for the Minnesota Vikings, started his second game for Chicago at Soldier Field against his former team in Week 2 — and did so to disastrous results.
Bradbury accounted for five penalties in the first half alone, as Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores and the Minnesota defense tormented their old teammate play after play.
“Fourth penalty on Garrett Bradbury,” ESPN’s Courtney Cronin reported via X. “He’s immediately flagged for a hold one play later.”
Bradbury then committed a fifth penalty, a false start, before the half ended. Chicago finished the first half with seven penalties for 53 yards lost as a team, and Bradbury was responsible for more than half of those by himself.
The Bears offensive line also gave up five quarterback hits and a sack of quarterback Caleb Williams in the first half.
Bears Have Logan Jones Waiting in Wings to Replace Garrett Bradbury
The Bears’ longterm answer at center is Logan Jones, who the team drafted in the second round out of Iowa back in April.
However, the team may need to accelerate his promotion given how poorly Bradbury has played so far after the team traded a fifth-round pick to the New England Patriots to acquire him this offseason.
“Chicago once again showed its commitment to the offensive line by nabbing the winner of the 2025 Rimington Award, which goes to the nation’s best center, and a unanimous All-American selection from Iowa,” Cronin wrote in April. “Jones did not allow a pressure or sack in 2025 and brings ample experience to Chicago, with 51 starts over four seasons with the Hawkeyes.”
She added that ideally Jones would sit a year under Bradbury. However, Chicago scored 59 points in Week 1 and followed that up with just three points in the first half against Minnesota, and Bradbury was a big factor in the killing of multiple Bears’ drives that may have otherwise ended in points.
Garrett Bradbury Has Proven Key to Bears-Vikings Game Through First Half
Alec Lewis of The Athletic pegged Bradbury as a key component on both sides of the Bears-Vikings matchup in Week 2, and through one half he has been absolutely right.
Familiarity adds to the intrigue here. The Vikings drafted Bradbury in the first round in 2019. He spent six seasons in Minnesota and remains close with many of the team’s offensive linemen.
This wouldn’t normally be a focal point, but it’s difficult to overstate how important Bradbury might be in this matchup. Can he decipher the Vikings’ blitz strategies? Can he help Bears quarterback Caleb Williams sift through the mayhem? Can Minnesota make his head spin with stunts, twists, and mugged-up looks that create mental stress on each play, while also positioning him in suboptimal spots?
Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores plucks at holes like nobody else. It will be fascinating to see if Bradbury is one of them.
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