Iowa Rookie Logan Jones Challenging Bradbury for Bears Job
Former Iowa Hawkeyes standout Logan Jones is the favorite to win the starting center job for the Chicago Bears. Following the sudden retirement of Pro Bowl center Drew Dalman, the Bears acquired veteran Garrett Bradbury and drafted Jones in the second round. Jones brings 51 collegiate starts and a relentless, blue-collar work ethic to a position battle he is expected to win based on merit and performance.
Why the Chicago Bears Need a New Center
The Chicago Bears suffered a major offseason blow when Drew Dalman retired from the NFL after just one season with the team. Dalman's shocking departure left the Bears without a young, Pro Bowl caliber center who had just signed a three-year deal. The franchise had to act fast to protect their offensive line and their quarterback.
Chicago responded by trading a 2027 fifth-round pick to the New England Patriots in exchange for veteran Garrett Bradbury. They did not stop there. While the 2026 NFL Draft lacked a premier center talent like Tyler Linderbaum, the Bears grabbed arguably the best available prospect by selecting Logan Jones in the second round. These two moves set up a compelling competition for the starting job.
Can Garrett Bradbury Hold Off the Rookie?
Experience matters in the NFL, especially in the trenches. Garrett Bradbury brings plenty of it to the table. He has started 105 games over his seven seasons and has not missed a game since 2023. He also started eight postseason games, including last year's Super Bowl run with the Patriots. Bringing in a veteran with that kind of track record made sense for a relatively cheap cost.
Unfortunately for Bradbury, his case to be the starter essentially ends there. In the NFL, you have to produce results, and Bradbury has struggled to do that. He has finished each of the last two seasons as one of the lowest-graded centers in the league according to Pro Football Focus. The eye test confirms those poor grades. He struggled mightily throughout the postseason last year, particularly in Super Bowl LX.
There is a reason Bradbury was available for trade this offseason. If he were a franchise center who could anchor an offensive line for years to come, the Patriots would have kept him. Instead, New England shipped him out for a future Day 3 pick. That trade value tells you everything you need to know about his current standing in the league.
How Logan Jones Brings Iowa Grit to the NFL
Logan Jones steps onto the professional stage with the kind of toughness and maturity that Iowa fans know well. The University of Iowa has a proven track record of developing elite, Pro Bowl offensive linemen, including current Baltimore Ravens star Tyler Linderbaum. Jones follows in those footsteps.
Jones may lack Bradbury's NFL experience, but he is no fresh-faced rookie. He started 51 games for the Hawkeyes since 2021, battling some of the best and most physical defenses in college football. Some scouts call him undersized, but they said the same thing about Linderbaum when he entered the draft.
At 25 years old, Jones is already close to his physical peak. His learning curve will be far shorter and more gradual than a younger draft pick, such as the Cincinnati Bengals' Connor Lew, who will not turn 21 until August. One anonymous AFC personnel director summed up Jones perfectly ahead of the NFL Combine.
He plays like he's got two kids and a mortgage to pay, man. That kind of grown-man effort.
Will Logan Jones Win the Starting Center Job?
The Bears will not rush to name a starting center, but the eventual winner should be clear early in August. Logan Jones is simply too talented and too experienced to sit behind a struggling veteran for any length of time. He has even received the blessing of Bears legend Brian Urlacher to wear his iconic No. 54. If Jones is not already a better NFL center today, he will prove to be one during preseason games.
Bradbury can still serve as an excellent mentor for Jones throughout the season, meaning the trade was not a total loss for Chicago. The Bears could also get great value back if they trade Bradbury to a center-needy team before the deadline. Ultimately, Bradbury was never going to be more than a stopgap measure in Chicago. The drafting of Logan Jones only hastens his eventual departure, and merit will win out.
Who is the Chicago Bears' starting center?
The starting center job is currently an open competition between veteran Garrett Bradbury and rookie Logan Jones. Most analysts expect Logan Jones to win the job during the preseason based on his superior talent and recent performance metrics.
Why is Logan Jones a top rookie center?
Logan Jones is a top rookie center because he brings 51 starts of experience from the University of Iowa, a program famous for producing elite offensive linemen. He also plays with an exceptional level of physical and mental maturity, which will shorten his transition to the professional level.
What did the Bears trade for Garrett Bradbury?
The Chicago Bears traded a 2027 fifth-round draft pick to the New England Patriots in exchange for veteran center Garrett Bradbury.