Chicago Bears named ‘serious suitor’ to land another elite offensive lineman
The Chicago Bears kicked off the player acquisition portion of their offseason by trading for a former Pro Bowl offensive guard in Jonah Jackson. They then struck another deal, this time trading for All-Pro guard Joe Thuney from the Kansas City Chiefs.
Yet, there’s a sense that the Bears aren’t done investing in their offensive line this offseason. In fact, they may be closing in on the addition of another elite talent.
Chicago Bears expected to pursue Drew Dalman signing
The Chicago Bears’ offensive interior is already projected to be better than the version they ended last season with, where Caleb Williams was the NFL’s most sacked quarterback. However, there’s still more work to be done.
One area that could still use a bit of improvement is at the center position, where center Coleman Shelton ranked 19th out of 64 centers graded by Pro Football Focus. While Shelton wasn’t bad, there’s plenty of room for improvement for a team that hopes to be in the playoff conversation with new head coach Ben Johnson calling the shots.
However, according to Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz, the Bears are “serious suitors” to sign top free agent center Drew Dalman.
“Falcons FA C Drew Dalman is also expected to have a strong market, with many around the league viewing the Bears as a serious suitor. Chicago has already added Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson and still has a need at center.”
Dalman was PFF’s fourth-highest graded center last season and as Schultz noted, he’s expected to have a “strong market” once free agency officially kicks off on Monday. Spotrac projects Dalman to sign a contract worth just under $7 million per season, but odds are his salary will end up being roughly double that amount once he lands a new deal at market rate.
Bears Playmaker Emerging as ‘Surprise’ Trade Candidate
Signing D’Andre Swift was the first major move the Chicago Bears made when free agency kicked off in 2024.
Now, just a year later, the 26-year-old running back is being talked about as a potential trade candidate.
Swift inked a three-year, $24 million contract with the Bears in March of 2024, and while his play was average-to-above-average, Moe Moton of Bleacher Report thinks trading him could free up cap space that could be better used elsewhere.
And there’s new head coach Ben Johnson’s history with Swift to consider, too.
“The Bears hired former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson to be their new head coach, which gives them a bright outlook on that side of the ball,” Moton wrote. “However, Swift played one season (2022) under Johnson in Detroit, and the Lions traded him to the Philadelphia Eagles the following year.”
