Bears Urged to Solve Key Issue Early in Free Agency
The Chicago Bears need to act fast to shore up the a key position when free agency begins, or they’ll suffer the consequences.
For years, the Chicago Bears have experienced ongoing struggles at center. General manager Ryan Poles hoped that signing Coleman Shelton would solve the issue, but he failed to meet expectations. Now the Bears head into free agency with immense pressure to find a reliable solution at center, or else they’ll face the consequences.
Bears Must Address Center Position Early in Free Agency
The Bears’ Best Option at Center
The top target for Chicago should be Atlanta Falcons center Drew Dalman. Despite missing a stretch of time last season, he remained highly productive, finishing as Pro Football Focus’ fourth-best center with a 78.8 grade. That’s trailing only Creed Humphrey (92.3), Frank Ragnow (86.1), and Tyler Linderbaum (79.9).
A fourth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Dalman has played in 57 games with 40 starts over the past four seasons. He is regarded as one of the league’s premier run-blocking centers, and new head coach Ben Johnson—who worked with Ragnow in Detroit—would surely appreciate another elite player at center.
At just 26 years old and coming off a career-low pressure rate of 3.7%, Dalman is expected to have plenty of suitors. While the Falcons are reportedly interested in re-signing him, they may also turn to backup Ryan Neuzil, who filled in for Dalman last season.
Projected APY Range: $13 – $16 million
Backup Plan
There are only two options the Bears should seriously consider at center; Drew Dalman, and Indianapolis Colts center Ryan Kelly. He may not be a long-term solution the Bears want, but Kelly has been one of the top centers in the NFL since he was drafted in the first round back in 2016. The 31-year-old is “excited to see what’s out there,” and mentioned he’s never reached free agency, so he plans to test out the market.
Kelly also emphasized he would prefer to stay in Indianapolis, but the Colts are prepared to go with Tanor Bortolini at center if the team plans to move on from Kelly. If the Bears miss out on signing Drew Dalman, then they should redirect their full attention to luring Kelly to Chicago.
Projected APY Range: $8 – $13 million
Why the Urgency?
There are two key reasons why Chicago must prioritize signing a center early in free agency. First, the free-agent market at the position is thin, with Coleman Shelton arguably ranking as the third-best option available.
Second, the 2025 draft class lacks top-tier center prospects, with the best options likely coming off the board no earlier than the third round. Essentially, there are no plug-and-play centers who are NFL-ready this year, so the pressure is on for the Bears to address the center position as soon as possible.
This isn’t just a regular need for the Bears; it’s crucial they find a top-tier center to pair with Caleb Williams. There were too many instances last season when Williams was sacked due to pressure from the interior of the offensive
line. Especially when Shelton would get blown up from time to time. Even if Chicago has to overpay for Dalman or Kelly, it would be a necessary investment in protecting their franchise quarterback.
