The Chicago Bears need to think about solidifying one area of the offensive line that has plagued the team for the last few years, the center spot, in free agency.
The Bears have drafted and added numerous tackles and interior offensive linemen in the previous few years, but none have made the successful jump to center, and issues have shown up in the running and passing game.
Caleb Williams needs help up front
Caleb Williams was blamed for holding the ball too long and trying to escape the pocket too early in his rookie season. However, poor play at center was part of the reason Williams had no faith in the pocket.
While the tackle positions (especially on the QB’s blindside) had previously been thought to be the most important part of the offensive line because of how talented edge rushers have become, the new wisdom in NFL circles among scouts and GMs is that having a great center is arguably just as important because they allow for a quarterback to step up into the pocket instead of scrambling away.
The Chicago Bears linked to the No. 26 free agent in 2025
Matt Bowen of ESPN named the Bears as a “top fit” for a free agent that could secure the center spot in 2025, Drew Dalman. Bowen linked the Bears to offensive guard Trey Smith and thinks Dalman, the No. 26 free agent in 2025, would dominate next Smith.
“I matched Trey Smith to the Bears, but this team can’t stop there this spring. Let’s also put Dalman — the top center in free agency — next to Smith,” Bowen wrote. “Dalman wins his assignments with movement and leverage to offset a smaller frame (6-3, 300 pounds). He’s a technician on the 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 (he missed time due to an ankle injury, though).”
Drew Dalman would be a big help
At 26, Dalman has appeared in 57 games and started 40 in his four-year NFL career. The Atlanta Falcons selected Dalman in the fourth round of the 2021 draft.
The six-foot-three, 305-pound offensive lineman made first-team All-Pac 12 in 2020. Pro Football Focus gave Dalman a 78.8 overall grade in 2024, which ranked him 4th out of 64 centers. Per Sports Illustrated, Dalman is expected to sign a contract in the ballpark of $50 million for four years.
If Dalman and Smith signed with Chicago, Poles would be spending close to $33-34 million per year on two interior offensive linemen.
It would be time for Williams to step up and deliver in 2025.
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