One AFC team is still holding out hope that the Bears will make a bad decision, but it doesn’t sound like that’s going to happen
The Baltimore Ravens are still in need of a starting center and Ravens reporters continue linking the team to Chicago Bears newly acquired veteran Garrett Bradbury, despite what the team has said about his impact at OTAs.
The Chicago Bears made the wise move to double up at the center position after losing Pro Bowl starter Drew Dalman to a sudden retirement by trading for veteran Garrett Bradbury and then drafting Logan Jones.
Bradbury has plenty of starting experience and was a cheap move to make. He also has experience playing with a young quarterback, playing alongside left guard Joe Thuney, and is coming off a Super Bowl appearance.
Jones, however, was praised to be more experienced beyond his years after being a multi-year starter at Iowa, a program that breeds top-level offensive linemen. The ball is in Jones’ court to challenge for the starting job.
And one NFL team is banking on Jones succeeding in that, which would open the door for the Bears to make a bad decision.
Baltimore Ravens are still holding out hope that the Chicago Bears try to flip Garrett Bradbury
The Baltimore Ravens have had a rough offseason at the center position. They lost the negotiations with Tyler Linderbaum, who signed a record-breaking deal with the Las Vegas Raiders. And then in the draft, they underestimated the center run (which was started by the Bears) and walked out of the draft with a starting-caliber option.
We are now through OTAs and the Ravens are still not thrilled about their current options, which led Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic to float Bradbury as a potential trade option, saying the Bears are willing to flip him.
“I keep coming back to Garrett Bradbury…played under Dwayne Ledford at NC State… Patriots went to the Super Bowl with him… He’s solid, that’s fine after improving at left guard and right guard. Are the Bears giving him up? I think you’ll have to overpay.”
I don’t think the Bears are willing to give Bradbury up, just five months after acquiring him, even if Jones beats him out for the starting job. Head coach Ben Johnson understands how valuable depth is in this league, especially veteran depth with experience. If Jones wins the job, Bradbury is traded, and then Jones gets hurt, who would be the immediate center backup? Luke Newman or UDFA rookie Jaren Kump?
Ben Johnson is already having strong praise for Garrett Bradbury, as are some of his teammates
Throughout the two weeks and six sessions of OTAs, Bradbury was working with the starting five on the offensive line and not much was reported about Jones’ progress. Johnson also brought up Bradbury unprompted as a player that’s stood out to him.
“A guy like Garrett Bradbury, impressed (in) day one, just with the level of communication that he brings to the table,” Johnson said. “He’s loud. He’s demonstrative. I know that he’s going to be able to get all five guys on the same page.”
That’s not just fluff to pump up trade interest. Johnson is a straight shooter with the media more times than not. And he’s not the only one dishing out praise for the veteran center.
“He’s been in the league for eight years, so you know a lot of schemes he’s been around are very similar to what we do,” right guard Jonah Jackson said. “He’s a smart guy. Joe had a lot of familiarity with him, so knowing that and getting to know him a little more, I feel like it’s been pretty easy gelling together.”
A player that’s able to get all five guys on the same page and making it easy for everyone to gel together this early with a new team doesn’t sound like the kind of guy a team would flip before ever seeing him on the field. It’s wishful thinking in Baltimore by a desperate team hoping someone else can make their problem a problem of their own. That team isn’t going to be the Bears.