The Chicago Bears used an early-season bye week in 2025 to make changes along their offensive line. Braxton Jones was removed from the starting lineup, with Theo Benedet entering the mix in his place. Benedet would eventually give way to Ozzy Trapilo, who would take over the starting left tackle job and solidify himself as a starter before an injury in Chicago’s playoff win set plans off course. I say that to underscore how in-season shakeup can prove to be valuable.
That said, I wonder if history will repeat itself in 2026.
The Garrett Bradbury experience has been a mixed bag. There have been moments when Bradbury has been a perfectly cromulent center for the Bears. But there have also been times when I wondered if the offensive line would be better off benching the veteran for rookie Logan Jones. And while I’m not quite ready to flip the switch just yet, I’m not opposed to it and am certainly open to discussing it. Plus, this feels like a good time to consider such a change. This coaching staff has already shown the ability to identify problems and make in-season moves. I just don’t know if they’d make the pivot from Bradbury to Jones. However, they should really think about it.
Sep 13, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Chicago Bears center Garrett Bradbury (67) reacts to a touchdown scored by running back D’Andre Swift (4) in the first quarter against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn ImagesShould the Bears Bench Garrett Bradbury For Rookie Logan Jones?
When I wrote above about Bradbury’s season being a mixed bag, I wasn’t doing so as a cop-out. There truly doesn’t seem to be a consensus about how he is playing. For instance, Pro Football Focus has Bradbury with a 60.8 overall grade that ranks 22nd of 36 centers. Bradbury’s run-blocking grade is 64.6, which ranks 16th. Meanwhile, his 51.9 pass-blocking grade checks in at 26th. Even though we know that PFF grades aren’t the be-all and end-all, those numbers — across the board — are a cause for concern.
If you’re looking for a silver lining, you can find it via ESPN’s pass-block win rate metric. Bradbury’s 92% PBWR ranks 12th among all interior offensive linemen. Centers. Guards. All of ’em. Bradbury ranks 12th. That isn’t insignificant. Being on a list with Chiefs center Creed Humphrey and Bears linemate Joe Thuney is a good thing. Given his veteran presence and pass-blocking prowess, there is at least a starting point to build a case for Bradbury to remain in the starting lineup. But I can’t act like the evaluations elsewhere aren’t concerning. Hence, I see a potential opening for Logan Jones.
When the Bears drafted Jones, it felt like more of a matter of when, not if, he would play. The University of Iowa product arrived as a polished center prospect. And while there was an expectation that Jones would be a plug-and-play option at center before the 2026 NFL Draft opened its doors, landing on the Bears meant that Jones might have to wait until 2027 to get his turn. That might still be the case. But Bradbury’s play and Jones’ potential have me questioning things.
Iowa C Logan Jones was a Chicago Bears second-round draft pick in 2026. © Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORKTo be clear, I don’t want to make a change for the sake of making a switch. Doing that is a fast track to big problems. However, if the Bears wanted to shake things up, they have two windows to do so.
The first would be in Week 11 against the New Orleans Saints. Using the bye week to get the rookie up to speed and on track to be a contributor right away is a sensible path — and one the team used last season when switching from Braxton Jones to Theo Benedet. The other window would be after the Week 12 Thanksgiving game against the Detroit Lions, when a mini-bye could give the team enough time to make the change as smoothly as possible. Plus, it would give the team two more games to evaluate Bradbury before making a switch.
If this front office and coaching staff believes in Logan Jones as the center of the future, I’d be open to giving him the keys and taking over right now. After all, Bradbury is a free agent at season’s end. But if everyone at Halas Hall is OK with riding it out with the veteran and letting the rookie use Year 1 as a redshirt year, then I’d understand that course of action, too. Whatever decision they make, I hope it is the right one. It’s just that I’m not sure what it is right now.
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