2025 Chicago Bears Free Agent Target: Ryan Kelly

Christine Tannous - USA Today Sports

Dustin Riese - Senior Writer - 1 day ago

It's become abundantly clear that the Chicago Bears will not only focus on the offensive line this offseason but will do whatever it takes to improve. That includes the trade market, as Ryan Poles has traded away a fourth and sixth-round pick the past two days for veteran guards Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney.

Neither would be considered a long-term option, but both are significant upgrades and to get them both by giving up a pair of day 3 picks is simply mind-blowing. With those two added to the mix along with Darnell Wright, the Bears appear to have three opening-week starters set in stone, with another one most likely coming in the NFL draft.

That alone would make this one of the most improved units in the league, but there is still one glaring hole this team must address: the center position. It has been a long time since the Bears had a reliable center, with Cody Whitehair coming to mind. Sure, Whitehair was part of the Bears for several seasons, but it hasn't been since his 2018 season when the Bears had a reliable center, and it has hurt this team.

Unlike the addition of Jackson and Thuney, who were acquired via the trade market, the Bears are looking to pursue a center through free agency, and Drew Dalman has been discussed before. Dalman is the best center on the market and the perfect fit for this team, but given what Jackson and Thuney are going to cost this season, Dalman may be out of their price range.

As tough of a pill as that may be to swallow, Dalman isn't the only top-flight center on the market, and when you listen to what Ben Johnson had to say about what he is looking for in a center, there could be another fallback option, to Dalman who may not be a fall back option at all. According to reports, Indianapolis Colts center Ryan Kelly is now becoming an option, and if that is the case, it would be a massive get for this team.

Much older than Dalman, who is 26, Kelly is 31 and will be 32 during the season next year. That alone is a significant age difference from Kelly, but it also plays into the Bears hands as he wouldn't require as long of a deal, and the price for his services will come at a less steep price. Like Dalman, Kelly fits the most significant area of need on the Bears offensive line and checks many of the boxes the team is looking for.

Granted, some of those boxes are different than the Boxes Dalman might check, but he is still checking enough of them to make him a massive upgrade. Not only is Kelly an established starter and has been for a long time, but he has also earned four Pro Bowl nods. That is the kind of success and experience the Bears have been looking for on their offensive line, which the team is strongly pursuing so far.

Ranked as the 43rd-best free agent of the offseason, Kelly is coming off another strong season after making the Pro Bowl in 2023. Anytime you can add a Pro Bowl caliber center to an organization needing a center, that will make things much easier for Caleb Williams. Although Kelly had another strong showing in 2024, he was limited to just 10 games as there were some injury issues last season.

However, given Kelly's on-field awareness, he was still one of the best players when he did play. He posted a 95.9% win rate on run block plays, ranking him sixth overall among centers. He also didn't allow a sack in those 10 games, and when you consider the Bears allowed 68 sacks as a team last season, that alone is an area that the team has taken notice of.

Another thing Kelly provides that the Bears love is his physical demeanor. He is also an on- and off-the-field leader. This young team lacks leaders, so adding a guy like Kelly would finally give the Bears the locker room presence they are looking for.

As is the case with any free agent, the financial obligations could get in the way, but with an expected two-year contract in the 19-20 million range, it would be a bargain compared to what others would get. Bargain or not, Kelly is worth every penny of 10 million per season and should be someone the Bears are looking to pounce on sooner rather than later.