The Bears entered this offseason believing the center position was one of the areas on the roster already settled. That has changed quickly, following Tuesday’s news of Drew Dalman’s sudden retirement from football.
Dalman, 27, has reportedly informed the team he is retiring, bringing an abrupt end to what looked like a long-term partnership between the Bears and one of the league’s better young interior linemen. He started all 17 games for Chicago last season and earned his first Pro Bowl nod while ranking seventh among centers in Pro Football Focus’ grading. His arrival a year ago, after signing a three-year, $42 million contract, was a major part of the Bears’ offensive line revival during their NFC North title run.
But instead of anchoring the middle of that line for years to come, Drew Dalman is stepping away after just one season in Chicago. And now the Bears have a new problem to solve.
Mike Dinovo-Imagn ImagesWhat Drew Dalman’s Retirement Means for the Salary Cap
Dalman’s retirement also carries financial implications for Chicago, and they’re not entirely negative.
His cap hit for the 2026 season was scheduled to be $14 million, but retirement alters that equation. Although $9.5 million of his base salary had been guaranteed, the Bears can void that guarantee because the contract is no longer being fulfilled. Chicago would be responsible only for the remaining prorated signing bonus (roughly $4 million, spread over 2026 and 2027).
The team could also attempt to recoup a portion of the signing bonus, as $2 million of it has not yet been paid.
Depending on how that process plays out, Dalman’s retirement could create more than $10 million in cap relief this offseason. This would be a meaningful development for a team already navigating several roster upgrades.
It’s not a clean situation, but it’s also not a cap disaster.
Free Agency Options Suddenly Matter a Lot More
The Bears now enter free agency with a new priority: finding a starting center. Two names have already surfaced as potential targets.
According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, the Bears have “sniffed around” Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum, who is one of the best players at the position. If Baltimore fails to finalize an extension with Linderbaum before the start of the league year, he would immediately become the top center available on the market.
The challenge? Price.
Linderbaum is expected to command a contract north of $20 million annually, which would reset the center market. Baltimore GM Eric DeCosta said last week at the NFL Scouting Combine that the team would not use the Franchise Tag on Linderbaum (and they didn’t!), but added that the team has offered him a “market-setting” extension.
© Barry Reeger-Imagn ImagesA more realistic option could be Tyler Biadasz, who was recently released by Washington and is already scheduled to visit Chicago, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Biadasz doesn’t carry the same ceiling as Linderbaum, but he has been durable and productive. He ranked 12th in run-blocking and 18th in pass protection among centers last season, and he has missed no more than two games in any year since his rookie season.
In other words: not elite, but stable, something the Bears suddenly need.
How Dalman’s Retirement Could Shift the Bears’ Offseason Priorities
Until the news of Drew Dalman’s retirement broke, the Bears’ offseason roadmap felt relatively clear.
The offense (and specifically the offensive line) looked mostly settled after last year’s overhaul. Chicago invested heavily to stabilize the interior, and Dalman’s Pro Bowl season at center suggested the Bears had finally solved one of the most important positions in front of quarterback Caleb Williams. That allowed the front office to focus almost entirely on the other side of the ball.
The Bears entered the spring with defensive needs at every level: an impact edge rusher opposite Montez Sweat, help along the interior defensive line, reinforcements at linebacker, and additional talent in the secondary, particularly at safety. The expectation around the league was that Chicago’s cap space and draft capital would be aimed largely at rebuilding that unit.
Dalman’s retirement complicates that plan.
Instead of spending the bulk of their resources on defense, the Bears now have a new hole to fill at one of the most important positions on the offense. Center becomes an immediate priority, and depending on how the front office approaches the problem, it could redirect meaningful assets, both financially and in the draft, away from defensive upgrades.
If Chicago opts to pursue a top-tier replacement in free agency, that decision could reshape the rest of the offseason.
A player like Tyler Linderbaum, should he reach the market, would command a contract that likely resets the center market. Even more modest options like Tyler Biadasz would still require a significant investment. Every dollar spent stabilizing the middle of the offensive line is a dollar that can’t be used elsewhere, and that could mean fewer resources available for pass rushers, linebackers, or secondary help.
It could also create opportunities internally.
Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn ImagesWith Ozzy Trapilo expected to miss most of the 2026 season after suffering a serious knee injury in the playoffs, the left tackle position remains unsettled as well. If the Bears prioritize signing a center in free agency, it might make more sense to allow a younger player to compete for that tackle job rather than allocating even more money to the offensive line. That scenario could give Theo Benedet another legitimate shot at claiming the starting role.
Benedet showed flashes last season and remains one of the more intriguing developmental linemen on the roster. If Chicago’s resources shift toward replacing Dalman at center, the path for Benedet to earn meaningful reps at left tackle could become clearer during training camp.
The ripple effects could reach the defensive side of the ball, too.
If the Bears divert cap space and draft capital toward the offensive line, the team may be more inclined to lean on internal growth along the edge rather than aggressively pursuing another veteran pass rusher like Trey Hendrickson or Maxx Crosby. That possibility puts a spotlight on Austin Booker, who finished last season with a surge that caught the coaching staff’s attention.
Booker’s combination of length, athleticism, and late-season production makes him a natural candidate to compete for the starting job opposite Montez Sweat if the Bears decide their biggest defensive investments should instead be directed toward the interior defensive line, linebacker room, and secondary.
Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn ImagesNone of those decisions has been finalized yet. But Dalman’s unexpected retirement changes the equation.
What once looked like a defense-first offseason may now require a more balanced approach, one that forces the Bears to decide how much of their available cap space and draft capital must now be redirected toward protecting the quarterback instead of attacking opposing ones.
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