The Chicago Bears are back. Go ahead and call your pals. Call up those Packer fans in your life.
As the joke goes, the Bears have already won the offseason. But this time, it feels different.
After trading for two starting guards last week in Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney, the Bears began this year's legal tampering period with a bang.
Chicago agreed to terms with free agent center Drew Dalman on a 3-year deal worth $42 million, thus solidifying their starting offensive line, assuming Braxton Jones is still the team's left tackle going forward.
Immediate winners and losers from the Bears signing Drew Dalman
Winner: Ryan Poles
The clear winner, here, is general manager Ryan Poles. He has now built the Bears' starting offensive line and got it done just minutes into the legal tampering period. The Bears now have so much added flexibility going into the rest of the offseason.
The remainder of free agency and the 2025 NFL Draft is now wide open for the Bears to make the best moves possible at other positions with the starting offensive line taken care of.
Loser: Coleman Shelton
For anyone trying to talk themselves into being fine with the Bears re-signing Coleman Shelton should the team have missed out on Dalman or even Ryan Kelly, that sentiment can be trashed. Dalman is a Bear, and Shelton will not be starting at center in Chicago any longer.
Shelton will have to try and find an opportunity elsewhere if he isn't retained as a backup in Chicago.
Winner: Caleb Williams
Another obvious winner? It's Caleb Williams. This organization has done everything possible to put a competent offensive line in front of him this offseason, and he can thank head coach Ben Johnson for that.
As much as we want to credit Poles for putting in the work, you better believe Johnson's hands were all over the series of moves this past week. Williams is the franchise. And, he is now going into Year 2 with a much better offensive line in front of him.
Loser: Ryan Kelly
The Bears' backup plan to Dalman probably would have been Colts free agent center Ryan Kelly, who is going to be 32 years old and could have been hoping to land in Chicago with Johnson, Williams and company.
Instead, it's Dalman, who is five years younger and was the clear priority for these Bears.