Tasked with replacing a retired Pro Bowler, veteran center Garrett Bradbury must provide steady play for Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams this season.
When Tony Stark confronted Loki in Stark Tower in the first Marvel Avengers movie, he mentioned to the God of Mischief that he had pissed off all the Avengers and the group would then pursue the villain.
"I have an army," Loki said.
Without hesitation, Stark replied, "We have a Hulk."
Caleb Williams used to have his own version of the Hulk in center Drew Dalman. The Chicago Bears' quarterback nicknamed his offensive line after Marvel superheroes last season.
"I call Drew Dalman the Hulk," Williams said in December. "He's the brains and all of it, but when he gets out there and on the field, he's strong as can be, fast and the right guy for the job for us and my future and our future here."
That future ended shorty after the Los Angeles Rams eliminated the Bears in the Divisional Round at Soldier Field. Dalman unexpectedly retired in early March after playing in every offensive snap last season. He allowed just one sack, one quarterback hit and graded as the seventh-best run-blocking center. He was named to his first Pro Bowl.
Having a quality center makes a difference. Future Hall-of-Fame quarterback Tom Brady briefly touched on the position's importance during his guest appearance on the "New Heights" podcast with Jason and Travis Kelce.
When asked whether he or Bill Belichick was more responsible for the Patriots' dynasty, Brady dismissed the debate entirely. He brought up an offensive line analogy, asking, "What's more important, the left tackle or center?" Although former center Jason Kelce immediately chose left tackle, Brady pushed back, saying, "I disagree, I disagree."
Brady was known from playing from the pocket and didn't have the mobility to escape pressure, so it makes sense why the center position mattered to him. Williams has the athletic ability to avoid defenders, but he still needs to improve playing within the structure of the offense. Having a reliable center helps.
Replacing Dalman in the middle of the Bears' offensive line is veteran center Garrett Bradbury. The former No. 18 overall pick in 2019 made it to Super Bowl LX against the Seattle Seahawks last season. The 31-year-old played 1,070 snaps in the regular season, allowing 20 total pressures, zero sacks and four quarterback hits.
His play on the field will play an important role to ensure coach Ben Johnson's offense operates like a well-oiled machine, but his experience is also an asset, especially for Chicago's 24-year-old quarterback.
"As I've gotten older and more experienced, I see the game a little bit differently," Bradbury said in April. "I've seen more things and am a lot more comfortable and confident to voice what I'm seeing and things that we could adjust or change. It's just a cool part of the process.
The Bears understand the importance of the center position. Shortly after trading for Bradbury, the team drafted Iowa center Logan Jones in the second round. By heavily investing the one position that touches the ball on every snap, Chicago is ensuring that Williams and the offense are in good hands for 2026 and the foreseeable future.
