The Chicago Bears began the 2026 draft as many expected, focusing on defense. They selected safety Dillon Thieneman from Oregon 25th overall. Many called it one of the best picks of the entire round, a highly talented player who was a perfect fit for Dennis Allen’s defense. However, things took a turn on day two, as the Bears selected three straight offensive players. It started with Iowa center Logan Jones, who some felt was a slight reach. He turns 25 this year and is considered somewhat undersized for the position.
Did Bears general manager Ryan Poles panic and make a mistake? He admitted that the run on defensive linemen earlier in the 2nd round forced him to pivot elsewhere. Maybe he should’ve waited. Yet that isn’t how he felt. Head coach Ben Johnson admitted after the draft that Jones was one of his biggest crushes in this draft. The two clicked immediately after meeting for a top 30 visit. If that weren’t enough to cement the pick, wait until you hear what NFL scouts told Bob McGinn of Go Long about Jones.
“He’s far and away the best center,” one scout said. “Third round.” Was a defensive tackle before moving to offense in spring 2022 after Tyler Linderbaum was off to the NFL. “He’s not Linderbaum,” said another scout. “He’s more like Luke Wattenberg who came out of Washington and who plays in the league (Denver). He’s not going to be the best ever but he’s got strong hands and he’s smart. His makeup is awesome. He’s got good enough size and power to be a starter. Typical Iowa guy.” Started 50 games at center over four years. Paced the centers in the 40, short shuttle (4.45) and 3-cone (7.35). “Little bit of a poor man’s Linderbaum,” a third scout said. “He should find his way onto the field just because of who he is. The athlete, the hand strength. You want bigger and all that, but in the San Francisco (zone) scheme I could see him excelling.”
Logan Jones is a great fit in many ways.
Start with the scheme. Chicago excelled at running the ball with an outside-zone alignment. That requires the center to be mobile and able to pick defenders off in space. It is why Drew Dalman was such a great signing in free agency last year and made the Pro Bowl. Jones is built the same way. Jones ran a 4.90 in the 40-yard dash and a 32-inch vertical jump at 300 lbs. That showed his lower-body explosiveness, which you can see throughout his tape. He thrived in space, consistently picking off linebackers and defensive backs for positive rushing gains.
Yet the craziest part is that he might be an even better pass protector. His technique and footwork are excellent, and he demonstrates a keen eye for identifying where blitzes and stunts are coming from. The only criticism most harp on is his size. At 6’3″ with 30-inch arms, he will be at a disadvantage against bigger defensive tackles. That didn’t seem to deter the Bears with Dalman, who had similar dimensions. Johnson knows how to scheme around that problem.
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The Bears are never steered wrong by adding Iowa guys.
After all, the best offensive line in franchise history during the 1980s was made up of two of them. Center Jay Hilgenberg and guard Mark Bortz both came from the program. James Daniels was a solid blocker during his time with the team as well. The current NFL is littered with good blockers from there. Logan Jones will be another in that line. He has the perfect makeup of an NFL player: tough, smart, athletic, and totally dedicated to his craft. Yes, he is older for a rookie, but that should be offset by the fact that he could start immediately.
The Bears may have said the starting job belongs to Garrett Bradbury, but everybody knows minds can change quickly. Training camp will tell the story. If Jones performs up to his usual standard this summer, it will be difficult for Johnson to keep him out of the lineup. Chicago wanted somebody they could trust. It sounds like they found him. The only thing left to do is let him do what he does best. Nobody will care about where he was drafted if Jones lives up to his capability.
