The Vikings Should be Calling the Bears about a Trench Trade
The Vikings are working through an uncertain center spot. Ryan Kelly opted to retire, a decision that appears wise given the veteran’s concussion issues. As a team, Minnesota hasn’t yet arrived at an ironclad solution for that subtraction.
As a result, there’s at least some merit in looking to the trade market.
The Chicago Bears surprised onlookers by drafting Logan Jones in the 2nd. Maybe the move is to sit the newcomer for a season, but Jones got scooped up quite high and is going to turn 25 in October. Burning up a year as a backup could happen but would be odd due to his combination of draft slot and age, creating a problem for Garrett Bradbury.
The Vikings, The Bears, & a Trench Trade
Dustin Baker considered the issue over on Vikings Territory. Only a single center plays, so how does the March add (Bradbury) coexist with the April add (Jones)?
“The rookie lineman’s age, 24, might’ve made him less appealing to some teams, as front offices typically prefer more time to develop prospects,” Baker writes. “Jones’s accelerated timeline means he’ll be expected to contribute early and consistently from Day One. Teams simply won’t draft an older rookie center to stash him for development; his value hinges entirely on his immediate readiness to play. That’s why Bradbury should be concerned.”
Good points that are worth considering.
For the Bears, going into the draft with a massive, glaring need at center would have been bad business. Very wisely, the move was to ensure a solid center — Bradbury — was employed going into the 2026 NFL Draft, but then a promising young fella fell to them in the 2nd.
Does the sensible desire for a veteran center in Bradbury now dissolve with the Jones add?
Obviously, the current vantage point consists of some dot connecting. The Bears could opt to keep Bradbury, maybe carving out room for Jones as a guard. Or, perhaps, the newcomer is simply a strong depth option, somebody to develop behind the scenes for a single season before bumping him up to the top spot. Bradbury, after all, is on the final year of his deal.
Back in 2019, Bradbury got into the NFL as the No. 18 selection in the 2019 NFL Draft. Many hyped him as the second coming of Jason Kelce, a fantastic center for the Eagles who gave his team an edge on a weekly basis. At no point has Bradbury gotten to that level.
What’s been quite consistent, though, is that Bradbury is a superb athlete. Asking him to reach block isn’t a problem. Nor is it an issue to get him to climb to the second level to pickup a linebacker or to get into green grass to block for a screen. All of these assignments are well within his abilities.
Where the veteran center has struggled is in pass protection. Bully defensive tackles can win their reps fast, pushing him back with some regularity. Caleb Williams happens to be a magician in shoulder pads, a quarterback who has a magical ability to elude pass rushers, but a center who cedes ground isn’t ideal.
Quite possibly, the path forward in the Windy City involves moving through a genuine roster battle. If, in the end, Jones proves to be better, then a trade in late August involving Garrett Bradbury could occur. Getting him to Chicago involved sending a 5th to the Patriots, but the Bears may need to settle for less in the scenario considered here.
The Vikings may have finally solidified the position by then. Someone from within the current cluster of four centers — Blake Brandel, Michael Jurgens, Gavin Gerhardt, and Delby Lemieux — could inspire confidence as an ironclad solution.
Another possibility is to dip into free agency for yet another option. Someone like Ethan Pocic, perhaps. The former Brown is solid, which could be an improvement on the in-house contenders.
There is appeal, though, in the former Vikings employee. Making a move to pickup Garrett Bradbury would mean adding someone who has a built-in understanding of the offense. Sure, there have been some adjustments, but Bradbury could get there quite quickly. He’s a veteran who has worked with several different passers, equipping him to acclimate to Kyler Murray or J.J. McCarthy with relative ease.
Trading Garrett Bradbury means Chicago saving his entire cap charge. All of his $5,700,000 would be wiped off the books, creating financial incentive to move on.
Moving him last year was deemed a wise move by almost everyone. Looking back, keeping Bradbury may have been the better move for the Vikings in 2025, 2026, and possibly for some time afterwards.
