After Adding Jackson and Thuney, Could Drew Dalman Be Next for the Bears?
The Chicago Bears entered the 2025 offseason with a clear priority: fixing an offensive line that allowed a staggering 68 sacks during the 2024 season. For rookie quarterback Caleb Williams to develop properly, such protection issues must be addressed, and general manager Ryan Poles—himself a former offensive lineman—understood this urgency.
Before free agency officially kicked off, the Bears wasted no time, securing guards Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney in less than 24 hours to immediately strengthen the interior of their offensive line.
But why stop there? Poles could continue fortifying the trenches, ensuring that in Ben Johnson’s first season as head coach, Chicago doesn’t just have a functional offensive line but potentially one of the league’s best. To take that step, the Bears might turn their attention to Drew Dalman, the top center on the market. ESPN’s Matt Bowen has even identified him as Chicago’s “best fit” in free agency.
“Dalman wins his assignments with movement and leverage to offset a smaller frame (6-3, 300 pounds),” Bowen explains. “He’s a technician on tape, best suited for the zone run game, and his pass block win rate of 95.1% ranked ninth among centers with at least 500 snaps in 2024. (He missed time due to an ankle injury, though.) Chicago traded for guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson, and Dalman could fit right between them on the line.”
Chicago’s interest in Dalman isn’t new. Since the end of the 2024 season, he has been viewed as a potential free-agent target, and his appeal only grew after Johnson emphasized the importance of having a top-tier center.
Timing-wise, investing in veteran offensive linemen makes perfect sense. With Caleb Williams still on his rookie contract, the Bears have financial flexibility to spend on the offensive line now. This approach gives Poles and his staff a multi-year window to draft eventual replacements for Thuney, Jackson, and—if they land him—Dalman. By the time Chicago needs to make Williams one of the NFL’s highest-paid quarterbacks, his protection could still be anchored by young, cost-effective talent.
