The Chicago Bears went from potential chaos to two viable options at the center position in no time at all.
Chicago was put through the wringer after Pro Bowl center Drew Dalman unexpectedly announced his retirement, and they were forced to quickly pivot to other options. Shortly after Dalman's retirement, the Bears traded a fifth-round pick to the New England Patriots for Garrett Bradbury and drafted former Hawkeye star Logan Jones.
Now with two legit starting options at the position, some think it might be Jones' time sooner rather than later.
Get ready to see Logan Jones a lot sooner than you thought
Bradbury is a solid starting center with a wealth of game experience, including 105 career starts since the Minnesota Vikings drafted him in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. He was also the starting center during New England's Super Bowl run last season.
He brings talent and veteran leadership to the position, but there is a growing belief inside the Bears' organization that Jones can push for the starting spot, and even if he doesn't win the job out of camp, we will see him very soon.
Even before drafting Jones, the Bears were very interested and were reportedly "smitten" with him. This has been proven time and time again by Bears' head coach Ben Johnson, who has had nothing but praise for Jones. They wouldn't have spent such a high draft pick on Jones if they did not think he was their guy.
Luckily for Jones, Bradbury is a proven starter who can help shorten his learning curve and guide him through the difficult challenges of playing center in the NFL. Ben Johnson admitted the Bears are on the high end of what they ask their centers to do, but he believes Jones is up for the challenge.
Organized team activities (OTAs) start this week for the Bears, and while the starting job likely won't be decided until after training camp, Jones has a prime opportunity. Not only does he get to learn everything he can from a veteran, but he can also become a starter very quickly, thanks to Bradbury's short-term deal.
Bradbury is on a one-year deal, and if he struggles, gets injured, or Jones simply outperforms him, the Bears won't be left without options. The Bears are high on Jones' potential for good reason, given all of his success with the Hawkeyes.
Jones was a consensus All-American and the Rimington Award winner, given to the best center in college football, and the Iowa program is elite at developing centers. The program also produced Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum, who just signed a massive deal with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Jones has all the tools and knowledge to be successful, and if he performs the way all Hawkeye fans know he can during the summer, he could easily wind up being the starting center very quickly. He has the confidence of the coaching staff, and if he can develop trust with starting quarterback Caleb Williams, the sky is the limit.
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