The Chicago Bears entered the off-season with one agenda in mind: to help Caleb Williams. That meant the obvious objective of fixing an offensive line that allowed 68 sacks last season. GM Ryan Poles got straight to work, flipping 4th and 6th round picks in trades for veteran guards Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney. However, head coach Ben Johnson knew the best way to bring everything together was to find a dependable center. That is why they came out of the gates strong by signing Drew Dalman, formerly of the Atlanta Falcons.
The former 4th round pick developed into their starter in 2022 and showed steady improvement over the next three seasons. While injuries kept him out of some games last year, he played well when he returned. Johnson sees him as the “quarterback of the offensive line” moving forward, lauding Dalman’s intelligence. That was on display when the center was asked about how he could help Williams. It boils down to him being an extra pair of eyes for the quarterback, identifying what defenses plan to do with their pressure packages.
Drew Dalman understands his role, and that is crucial.
One thing that always stood out about him in Atlanta was that he was rarely caught off guard. He consistently picked up blitzes and stunts, and his ability to find the right position on every block made him a constant factor. After a tough opener against Pittsburgh in 2024, he allowed just seven pressures in his next eight starts. He also had another excellent year as a run-blocker. Michael Penix Jr. certainly benefitted from his presence.
Across three games, the rookie threw for over 700 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions. One was a blowout win, and the other two were overtime losses. Drew Dalman allowed only two pressures over that stretch. There is no question he can be the best friend to a young quarterback. The Bears don’t need him to be a superstar. If he plays at the same level he has for the past calendar year, the blocking will be significantly better.
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As long as he’s fully healthy, he should be a major upgrade. I worry less about him, or the choice to target him, than I do the Bears medical staff missing things Poles or Coach Johnson needs to know.
Fingers crossed for a great year for him – and us.
Now some of you timid supporters know why C Dalman was a vital pick up by the Bears. Barry’s QB Fields could have used a center like him on the field rather than two senior QBs on the sidelines.
In case you didn’t watch the video Dalman said “Ever since I was a kid I’ve had a really loud voice. So, my plan is to snap the ball, take my pass set, then repeatedly scream ‘THROW THE BALL’ until the play is over”.
I’m on board with this guy, he’s got a good plan
How refreshing is it to have a real center that is smart & tough. We have not had one since Olin Kreutz. It is no coincidence that the teams in the Super Bowl last year had 2 of the best centers in the game. Teams have to have a stud center to call out protection and make changes on the fly. Now it is up to Caleb to master the offense and get the Bears back to the playoffs. Bear down gents!!
Dalman hasn’t met Caleb yet so hopefully that all works out well. They’re married now so we’ll be seeing a new relationship there. Jon Gruden used to say the HC is married to his QB and the backup QB’s were like mistresses. Dalman interviews like the smart dude to which he’s been described. He’s probably always going to give an intelligent answer in public. I’m excited that he is a Bear. I’m very excited about all the linemen but I think my biggest faith right now is this Center. Da Bears just needed a confident Center so dang badly that… Read more »