The Chicago Bears did not waste any time in finding a new anchor for their offensive line.
On the same day the Bears transferred center Drew Dalman to the reserve/retired list, they agreed to terms with the New England Patriots on a trade to acquire center Garrett Bradbury. In return, the Patriots will receive a fifth-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.
The trade cannot be officially processed until the new league year begins on March 11.
NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport was the first to report news of the trade. ESPN’s Adam Schefter was first with the report of compensation.
Bradbury will reunite with North Carolina State teammate Joe Thuney on the Bears’ offensive line.
Dalman informed the Bears on March 3 that he intended to retire at 27 years old. In his one year with Chicago, Dalman started all 17 games and earned his first career Pro Bowl nod.
Bradbury, 30, lands with his third team in three years – as well as the third of his career. The former first-round pick with the Minnesota Vikings in the 2019 NFL Draft signed a two-year deal with the Patriots last year in free agency, following a six-year stint in Minnesota. After starting all 17 games for New England in 2025 – plus all four postseason games, including Super Bowl 60 – Bradbury will play out the second and final year of his deal in the Windy City.
New England will head into free agency next week with second-year offensive lineman Jared Wilson as its presumptive starter at center. Wilson exclusively played left guard in all 13 starts he made as a rookie in 2025, but he was the starting center at Georgia in 2024.
Garrett Bradbury trade details
Full trade compensation has been determined, according to ESPN. Here’s what each team receives in the trade:
Bears receive:
C Garrett Bradbury
Patriots receive:
2027 fifth-round pick
Garrett Bradbury contract
Length: Two years
Value: $9.5 million
AAV: $4.75 million
According to Spotrac, Bradbury’s two-year deal, which he signed with the Patriots last offseason, is worth $9.5 million total. Of that money, $3.8 million was guaranteed in the form of a signing bonus and Bradbury’s 2025 salary.
New England will save $5.7 million against the cap by trading Bradbury while eating $1.2 million in dead cap, according to OverTheCap. Chicago will take on the $5.7 million cap hit from Bradbury’s contract in 2026.