The sudden retirement of center Drew Dalman in early March put the Chicago Bears in an unexpected predicament. since he was easy to tab as a long-term fixture on the offensive line. A quick pivot came through, with a trade to acquire Garrett Bradbury from the New England Patriots.
But with Bradbury entering a contract year, finding a long-term solution at center was firmly on the Bears' radar in the draft. In the second round, they chose Logan Jones out of the University of Iowa.
The percolating questions since the draft have been around how soon Jones will be ready to start. Could he outright win the starting job from Bradbury during training camp? And if so, what happens with Bradbury?
If Jones shows he's capable of starting immediately, Bradbury could then become a potential trade asset as other teams sort out their situations at center. The time for a move like that certainly isn't now, but the Bears have made it more palatable to consider by restructuring Bradbury's contract.
Ben Johnson is (rightly) leaving the door open for Logan Jones to start right away
As draft picks, undrafted rookies and tryout invites descended on Halas Hall for the start of rookie minicamp on Friday, Bears' head coach Ben Johnson spoke to the media.
Johnson was asked about Jones, and how his top-30 pre-draft visit seemed to impress everyone.
Johnson noted how offensive line coach Dan Roushar and assistant offensive line coach Kyle DeVan made "some rounds" during the pre-draft process, as part of due diligence on a number of players. Jones clearly stood out.
“Logan was one that stood out,” Johnson said. “My visit with him, when he was here, [I] was extremely impressed by the football knowledge, makeup, very mature. To me, it’s not we’re getting a rookie, we’re getting a guy that’s a little bit more of a seasoned player, which really is not uncommon for those Iowa linemen.”
Johnson was then asked the easy follow-up regarding how quickly Jones could be ready to play.
"Time will tell,” Johnson said. “The ball’s in his court as far as I’m concerned. He understands that, just like everyone else, we’re looking to create competition. Consistency, day after day and building trust – not only with Caleb and the other quarterbacks but within that offensive line room and then obviously with the coaching staff. It’s just a matter of time to build trust.”
Being a starting center in the NFL is as much a mental test as it is a physical one, with a lot of details that have to be locked down. Jones would be stepping into a great situation if he wins the starting job, working alongside two veteran guards, Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson.
Read more: Fantasy analyst shows path for Kyle Monangai to take over the Bears' backfield
Johnson leaving the door open for Jones to prove himself worthy of being the Bears' starting center right away is not at all surprising. The foundation of a legit challenge to Bradbury for the job will be laid now, and as a tentacle of that, the chance Bradbury never plays a snap as a Bear remains until further notice.
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