2025 Chicago Bears Free Agent Target: Drew Dalman

Rich Barnes - USA Today Sports

Dustin Riese - Senior Writer - 3 hours ago

When you look at the Bears roster and how it currently stands, it's a competitive roster missing a few pieces. Most of those pieces come in the trenches, with the offensive line being the most significant area that needs to be addressed this offseason. For whatever reason, the offensive line has been a never-ending issue for this team, as they haven't been able to solve the struggles since Ryan Poles took over.

Take last season, for example, when the Bears not only drafted a tackle in the first round but spent plenty of money during the offseason to add to their offensive line depth. The problem was that most of that depth was indeed depth, as very few of their offseason pickups were starting-caliber players. Ryan Bates was the lone exception, but with a league-high 68 sacks allowed, plenty of wholesale changes are on the way.

Whether players simply leave the Bears to pursue different opportunities or the Bears cut ties with what they feel is dead weight, Chicago is going to have to address the offensive line. Three, if not four, additions need to be made to solve their offensive line problems. It would be one thing if certain parts of the offensive line had issues, but virtually every position struggled at times.

That includes the center position, which is arguably their most significant need when it comes to the offensive line issues. Chicago has desperately needed a center for quite some time, and that need was further proven after cutting ties with Cody Whitehair ahead of last season. This may be the least talked about spot on the entire line, but it takes a great center to make an offensive line unit great, as their communication with the quarterback is crucial.

If addressing the center position is an area of need for the Bears, they should target former Atlanta Falcons center Drew Dalman, who is now available on the open market. Seen as the 26th-best free agent this offseason, Dalman is the top Center on the market and will have a strong market.

The 2021 fourth-round pick has been with the Falcons since day one and has emerged as one of the best centers in the game despite not getting the attention he deserves. A bit undersized in height (6-3), Dalman makes up for it in size as he weighs 304 pounds and comes with impressive strength. That strength comes in hand with the Falcons' style of offense, and that alone is the biggest reason why the Bears are looking to make him their Center of the future.

Although he is currently a free agent, many expect the Falcons to either franchise tag him or resign him, so his availability hinges on what they do. Should he become a free agent, he instantly becomes a no-brainer for the Bears after grading out as one of the best centers last season.

According to PFF, Dalman’s 78.8 PFF overall grade ranked fourth among centers in 2024, and his 82.3 overall grade in 2023 ranked third among centers. Compare that to where the Bears centers have ranked in recent seasons; there is no comparison, as Dalman would put even Whitehair's best season to shame.

Playing in a pass-heavy offense like the Falcons', you would like his pass-blocking to be better, but he has continued to grow into a complete pass-blocker over the past two seasons. His run-blocking ability stands out, as Dalman is not only the best run-blocking Center in the game but also one of the best run-blocking linemen in this year's class.

For a team in desperate need of a center, Dalman is the perfect fit for the Bears. Should he reach free agency, expect them to try to make him their long-term solution. Chicago has used an outside zone run concept in recent seasons, and with Johnson using similar tactics in Detroit, landing a run-first center is crucial.