The Chicago Bears seemingly had the center position all figured out for the next few years, as their signing of former Atlanta Falcons lineman Drew Dalman gave Caleb Williams the rock-solid vet in the middle he needed.
That security lasted all of one season, as Dalman shockingly announced he was retiring just one year after signing a humongous three-year contract in free agency. The former Falcons center is a big loss, but Ryan Poles is not going to waste a ton of time trying to figure out how to move forward.
The Bears have already set up a meeting with former Washington Commanders center Tyler Biadasz. While this may be due diligence, it appears as though the Bears are already well ahead in finding a veteran who can come in and replace Dalman without missing a beat.
Bears meeting with Tyler Biadasz after Drew Dalman retirement
Biadasz spent his first few seasons in the league with the Dallas Cowboys, and the general consensus was that he could be a reliable starting center for years to come. He filled in nicely with Dallas, and he later joined former Cowboys assistant Dan Quinn when he was hired by Washington.
Biadasz graded out as the 11th-best center in football in the eyes of Pro Football Focus. For the sake of comparison, Dalman was sixth-best in that same category. Washington's decision to release Biadasz could be Chicago's gain, provided every medical box that needs to be checked is indeed followed through with.
The Bears now have two offensive line positions they need to figure out how to address, just one year after a huge spending spree that included Dalman. The injury to Ozzy Trapilo has raised some questions about the left tackle spot, and now the center position needs a new starter after Dalman decided to call it quits.
The 2026 NFL Draft is not overly fruitful in terms of replacements for Dalman, as there may not be a single interior lineman who is selected in the first round. Mid-round targets like Florida's Jake Slaughter and Iowa's Logan Jones could be attractive, but a Day 2 rookie starting right away could be problematic.
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Biadasz is about the best the Bears could hope for in this post-Dalman world, especially considering the absolute dearth of quality options that exist outside of him. Failing to secure his signature could mean some drastic consequences, like starting a rookie, as the NFC North title defense begins.