The Chicago Bears landed the player they’ve been connected to most over the past month, agreeing to terms on a three-year, $42 million contract with center Drew Dalman. The contract includes $28 million guaranteed, a league source confirmed to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini.
Dalman was The Athletic’s top-ranked center and 15th-ranked free agent overall. He was far and away considered the best center available. Dalman started nine games for the Falcons last season, missing time with an ankle injury. He started all 17 games in 2022 and 14 in 2023. A fourth-round pick by Atlanta in 2021, Dalman appeared in every game as a rookie with zero starts.
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How he fits
The Bears had a serious need at center, the player in charge of making the offensive line calls and being the trustworthy player for quarterback Caleb Williams. Last March, general manager Ryan Poles traded for Ryan Bates, but an injury prevented Bates from being the Day 1 center. Coleman Shelton, signed last year, started every game at center, while Bates played sparingly at guard before finishing his season on injured reserve with a concussion.
Shelton generally held his own, but the Bears wanted an upgrade with new head coach Ben Johnson, whose former team, the Lions, thrived with Frank Ragnow, the league’s second-highest-paid center. The Bears hope Dalman, 26, can finally bring stability to the position. He’ll be their fourth Week 1 center in the past four seasons.
Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen had plenty of time to watch film of Dalman the past few seasons when he was in the NFC South running the Saints defense and could have used that experience to help in the evaluation.
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2025 impact
With that contract, there’s no doubt Dalman will start at center when practices begin. It was highly unlikely that Bates would have been the option there, but he is still under contract and, if healthy, could be the top reserve on the interior. The Bears could still look to bring back Shelton as the backup. They also have Ricky Stromberg, a 2023 third-round pick of the Commanders, who will be vying for a roster spot.
Cap update
The Bears had approximately $45 million in cap space before this move, per Over the Cap, which won’t be a problem to fit Dalman’s contract. Among centers, his new deal ranks second in average per year ($14 million) behind Creed Humphrey.
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Outlook
This was the next and possibly final major piece of the overall of the Bears’ interior offensive line. Dalman will join guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson in giving the Bears and Williams three new starters between the tackles. Williams took too many sacks last season, and while a fair share were on him, he needs to have more confidence in the group protecting him. That’s where Dalman comes in. Poles and assistant GM Ian Cunningham, a pair of former offensive linemen, haven’t gotten what they wanted out of this group over their three years. Poles has valued the center position, signing Lucas Patrick in 2023 and trading for Bates last season, but neither worked out. Now he takes the big swing, and along with Jackson and Thuney, the Bears suddenly have a high-priced, experienced trio in the middle of the line.
Johnson couldn’t bring the Lions’ line to Chicago with him. By signing the top center available and trading for two guards — including an All-Pro — Poles is doing what he can to give Johnson what he needs to most efficiently run his offense. It all starts up front, and in less than a week, the Bears have poured resources into that mantra.
(Photo: Scott Taetsch / Getty Images)
