Bears to have center competition to replace Drew Dalman after surprise retirement

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The Chicago Bears were thrown a bit of a problem early in the NFL offseason when Drew Dalman announced his surprise retirement from the NFL.

It left the Bears scrambling to figure out their center position, which they weren't initially going to worry about. They made two moves to address that spot, and now, entering training camp, a competition could get underway.

ESPN's Ben Solak highlighted how former New England Patriots center Garrett Bradbury, while their first option, might not hold the starting job for long, with Iowa draft pick Logan Jones expected to take over, with the only question of when, not if.

Bears have true center competition between ex-Patriots, ex-Iowa options

"Jones will likely unseat Bradbury at some point in the season," Solak writes. "How well he performs in training camp will be the first sign of just how ready he is."

Drafted in the second round, Jones is someone the Bears plan to utilize as a long-term center option. But, to begin the season, Bradbury might be the favorite to be the team's starting center.

As an NFL veteran, Bradbury is a safer pick for Ben Johnson than Jones would be, as the former Iowa center gets up to speed with his complicated offense.

This center competition is going to be an interesting one, as it's not how most competitions will go. While Bradbury and Jones will compete for the starting center job, the outcome might not matter in the long-term.

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Even if Bradbury wins the starting job, Jones is likely to become the long-term option. Whether that's at the start of the season or later in the year, Jones, barring major struggles or an injury, should slot into the starting offensive line at some point.

He's the future of the center position for the Bears, whereas Bradbury is a stopgap for now. Bradbury is effectively a bridge center for Jones, just like how teams utilize bridge quarterbacks.

Solak called out Jones as a rookie to watch during training camp this year, as the rookie could win the starting job to replace Dalman after his surprise retirement.

But, even if he doesn't win it outright, Jones is still a likely starter at some point during his rookie season unless he's struggling or Bradbury is playing at a very high level.

Still, Jones is someone Bears fans should keep an eye on this summer, as he's the future of the middle of their offensive line.