The offensive line will feature two battles this summer. Most of the attention will be on the left tackle spot between Braxton Jones and Jedrick Wills. However, that should not overshadow a fascinating matchup at center. It will pit recent trade acquisition Garrett Bradbury against 2nd-round draft pick Logan Jones. Head coach Ben Johnson has high standards at that position, so this battle will be one he watches carefully. Much depends on health, practice performance, and chemistry with quarterback Cale Williams.
Johnson has said Bradbury is the one holding the job right now, but don’t be fooled. The door will be left wide open for Jones to take it. Competition is always encouraged. Both men have good reasons to fight hard. Bradbury is a free agent next year and needs a good season to ensure somebody else picks him up in 2027. Jones is an older rookie who can’t afford to lose much time before starting his career. The urgency should be prevalent from the start.
Why Logan Jones could win
Iowa is the best offensive lineman factory in college football over the past 25 years. The list of big names they’ve sent to the NFL is extensive: Eric Steinbach, Brandon Scherff, Robert Gallery, Marshal Yanda, Tristan Wirfs, and Tyler Linderbaum. Usually, when you take a blocker from that program, you’re getting at least a serviceable starter. Most experts believed that Jones was the best overall center in the 2026 draft class. This stems from his mixture of athleticism and intelligence. He moves well in space, is rarely caught out of position, and has the fundamentals to hold up in pass protection.
“The mental is top notch,” (Bears head coach Ben) Johnson said. “We saw all the traits that we’re looking for, whether it’s the run game or in pass-pro, and we brought him in for a top 30, and I think that’s when it really solidified it for us that ‘yeah, he’s got the makeup.’ The guys at Iowa were raving about him, and then just the next level in terms of the football IQ as well. So, I think none of us have any qualms that he’ll be able to download the information and, once again, it’s just another spot that we’ll have high level competition at.”
When a coach like Johnson is that complimentary of a player, it is a good sign. What makes Jones so impressive is that he became a quality pass protector despite playing in a system that was heavily focused on running the ball. He led the way for some really productive ground attacks and cemented himself as an unquestioned leader. Guys like that always rise to the top.
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Why Garrett Bradbury could win
You’d think that because he has never made the Pro Bowl, Bradbury is somehow a bad player. That has never been the case. It is likely more the fact that he was a 1st round pick and never became a truly dominant player. While not entirely fair, the truth is he has been a steady and reliable center for several years. Bradbury has been at the head of some really good offenses. Four of the six he played on in Minnesota finished top 10 in either points scored or total yards. Then last season, he helped the New England Patriots reach the Super Bowl.
| Season (Team) | Pass Block Snaps | Sacks Allowed | QB Hits Allowed | Total Pressures | PFF Pass Block Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 (Patriots) | 642 | 0 | 4 | 20 | 63.1 |
| 2024 (Vikings) | 600 | 3 | 5 | 24 | 61.4 |
| 2023 (Vikings) | 498 | 3 | 4 | 21 | 61.2 |
| 2022 (Vikings) | 511 | 2 | 4 | 24 | 68.1 |
| 2021 (Vikings) | 518 | 2 | 6 | 26 | 54.4 |
| 2020 (Vikings) | 620 | 5 | 6 | 29 | 38.8 |
| 2019 (Vikings) | 563 | 4 | 8 | 28 | 41.4 |
This guy has played in big games and protected some really good quarterbacks. He’s smart, efficient, and athletic. Perhaps his biggest advantage is that he’s played in this type of offense before. Much of his time in Minnesota was spent in a wide-zone system. Bradbury will know his responsibilities almost immediately. It will just be a matter of learning the verbiage and developing chemistry with Williams. There is a reason the Bears traded for him. They knew he could step in on short notice.
The winner: Jones
A bit of an upset here. In most situations, pitting a rookie against a veteran for a starting job, the veteran always wins. Coaches prefer to lean on experience because they desire consistency. Logan Jones is a special case, though. Unlike most rookies, he is already highly experienced, having started 51 games in college. He is a full-grown adult. At 25 years old, there is no real sense in sitting him out for a year. He is ready to play immediately. If he performs at a similar level to Bradbury in training camp, the Bears will go with the younger option.
