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Indiana governor confident of Bears move (2:29)
Indiana Gov. Mike Braun joins "The Pat McAfee Show" to discuss the Chicago Bears' potential move to his state. (2:29)
Courtney CroninMar 3, 2026, 03:17 PM ET
- Courtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017, originally covering the Minnesota Vikings before switching to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a frequent panelist on Around the Horn and host of Best Week Ever and GameNight on ESPN Radio. She also co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She previously worked at the San Jose Mercury News as a multimedia sports journalist.
CHICAGO -- Veteran center Drew Dalman has informed the Chicago Bears that he is retiring from the NFL, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Dalman, 27, is ending his pro career after five seasons. The former fourth-round pick spent his first four seasons with the Atlanta Falcons (2021-24) where he started 40 games. Dalman was Chicago's marquee free agent signing during the 2025 offseason when he inked a three-year, $42 million contract with the Bears.
The surprising news comes less than three months removed from the Bears winning the NFC North title and their first playoff game in 15 season. Dalman was a key piece along an offensive line that ranked No. 1 in pass block win-rate (74%) and fifth in run block win-rate (74%). The center had the eighth-highest pass block win-rate among all interior offensive linemen with 406 wins in 423 passing plays. He started all 17 games for the Bears.
Last March, the Bears flipped the interior of their offensive line in less than a week when they traded for guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson before signing Dalman as a free agent. Both Thuney and Dalman earned Pro Bowl honors, which was the first for Dalman during his five-year career.
The Bears' investment along the offensive line paid major dividends for quarterback Caleb Williams. As a rookie in 2024, Williams was sacked a league-high 68 times. During his second season, that number dropped to 24 sacks. The durability of Chicago's offensive line was among the core components of its success last season, with Dalman logging every single offensive snap of the 1,154 in 2025.
Chicago enters free agency with work to be done to be compliant with the salary cap ahead of the new league year on March 11. Last week, the Bears granted linebacker Tremaine Edmunds permission to seek a trade. If he does not find a new team before the start of free agency, Edmunds is expected to be released, which will save $15 million against the salary cap. Dalman's retirement will also create cap room in Chicago.
Dalman's cap hit for 2026 was $14 million. Although $9.5 million of his base salary was guaranteed last year, his retirement can void that guarantee. The Bears would be accountable for only the remaining $4 million in prorated signing bonuses in 2026 and 2027, and they could also choose to recoup part of that bonus, as $2 million of the signing bonus has not been paid out yet.
Depending on how much of Dalman's signing bonus the Bears recoup, his retirement could save $10 million or more against the cap. The Bears will now be in the market for a center and left tackle this offseason. Ozzy Trapilo, who started seven games at left tackle beginning in Week 12, will miss the majority of the 2026 season while he recovers from a knee injury sustained in the first round of the playoffs.
