The most important position group the Chicago Bears need to look into upgrading in free agency is the offensive line. With over 79 million dollars in cap-space, the Bears need to upgrade at both guard and center. It is expected that Ryan Poles and Ben Johnson are expected to heavily invest in the trenches during free agency and the draft.
Unfortunately, the top offensive line target Trey Smith will not be coming to Chicago this season. Kansas City gave him the franchise tag, signing him to a 1-year contract on Thursday. With Smith being not an option anymore, Poles must look into more options. There is one very notable free agent that would be a massive upgrade for the Bears.
The Chicago Bears should sign Drew Dalman
A notable free agent center that has been frequently linked to Chicago is Drew Dalman.
The Atlanta Falcons center Dalman is one offensive lineman that the Bears should strongly consider signing. Chicago has had problems at center for many years. Coleman Shelton struggled badly in 2024, Sam Mustipher struggled greatly during his time with the Bears, and Lucas Patrick got frequently injured as well.
The Bears need to pair Caleb Williams with a young center that can be a part of this team for a long time. The 26-year-old had a PFF grade of 78.8. This grade was the fourth best grade out of 64 centers in the NFL. The 2021 4th round pick started only 9 games in 2024 but only allowed 2 sacks. In the season prior, Dalman had a very impressive PFF grade of 82.3.
Dalman has been one of the best centers in the NFL and would be a no brainer for the Bears to sign. The Bears could potentially look into signing him into a 3 or 4-year deal. Chicago would still have plenty of money to spend on other needed positions such as guard and edge rusher.
Why Drew Dalman makes perfect sense for Chicago
The four-year veteran would be an instant boost for Chicago’s struggling offensive line. Dalman has also exceled on run-blocking especially. Dalman had a run-block grade of 79.8, ranking fifth overall. The Bears’ run blocking was a key weakness of the 2024 season, and it must improve in order to get D’Andre Swift back on track.
Here is some film showing Dalman’s impressive blocking on both the run and pass, broken down by well-known Bears reporter Nicholas Moreano:
My first takeaway after watching just a half of Drew Dalman is that he has some elite quickness from the center position.
Immediately after the snap, Dalman down blocks Moro Ojomo and that helps Bijan Robinson gain 15 yards on this run. pic.twitter.com/qV0APA4e1O
— Nicholas Moreano (@NicholasMoreano) February 18, 2025
Play 10. pic.twitter.com/BAOp7flin0
— Nicholas Moreano (@NicholasMoreano) February 20, 2025
The Bears need to hit big on the center position in free agency, and Drew Dalman is exactly who the Bears need to sign in order to protect Caleb Williams.
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