Patriots trade center Garret Bradbury to Bears in pre-free agency move
The New England Patriots have traded garret bradbury to the Chicago Bears in a pre-free agency deal that sends a 2027 fifth-round pick to New England; the trade cannot become official until the start of the league year on Wednesday (ET).
Garret Bradbury to Bears
The agreement moves the veteran interior lineman to Chicago in exchange for a 2027 fifth-round pick. The transaction will only be finalized once the new league year begins on Wednesday (ET). Coverage of the deal notes that the Bears acted quickly to address a sudden vacancy at center.
Cap relief for Patriots
The Patriots will save almost $6 million in salary cap space by trading Bradbury. He started all 17 regular-season games and all four postseason games for New England last season, leaving the team after one season in Foxborough. The move is presented as a roster and cap-management decision ahead of free agency.
Bears scramble at center
The Bears moved to fill a position of need after Drew Dalman surprisingly retired this week, creating an immediate center vacancy. The acquisition of Bradbury was framed as a rapid response to that development, giving Chicago an experienced starter at the position for the near term.
Patriots' internal plan
With Bradbury departed, Jared Wilson — a 2025 third-round pick who started 13 games at guard for the Patriots as a rookie last season and who played center in college at Georgia — appears likely to become the Patriots' starting center in 2026. Team coverage describes Wilson as the leading internal option to take over the position.
- Key takeaways: Chicago receives an experienced center; New England gets a 2027 fifth-round pick and saves nearly $6 million in cap space; Jared Wilson is the expected internal replacement.
Numbers and timing are drawn from recent coverage: Bradbury's full-season and postseason starts, the 2027 fifth-round pick going to New England, the nearly $6 million in cap relief, and the fact that the trade awaits the start of the league year on Wednesday (ET). Details that were not publicly confirmed in that coverage are labeled as unclear and have not been added here.
