Free agent center Drew Dalman has signed a three-year deal worth $42 million with the Chicago Bears. Of this amount, $28 million is guaranteed. This puts Dalman as the second-highest paid center in the NFL.
The Bears’ general manager, Ryan Poles, is focused on strengthening the offensive line for new head coach Ben Johnson. Recently, he made trades to acquire guards Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney, further enhancing the team’s frontline.
At just 26 years old, Dalman has started 40 games with the Atlanta Falcons over the past three seasons. He faced some challenges in 2024, missing eight games due to a high ankle sprain. During his absence, backup Ryan Neuzil filled in. Dalman started as a backup during his rookie season in 2021 but took on a starting role in 2022, proving his capabilities on the field.
Dalman’s return in Week 11 of the last season had a significant impact on the team. When Neuzil was the starter, running back Bijan Robinson had a rush EPA (Expected Points Added) of 3.7. However, after Dalman’s return, Robinson’s EPA skyrocketed to 12.7— the highest in the NFL during those final weeks.
In the 2024 season, Dalman demonstrated his skills by allowing only 13 pressures and two sacks across nine games, all without committing any penalties. Standing 6-foot-3 and weighing 305 pounds, Dalman was an integral part of a tight-knit Falcons offensive line, which has included players like left tackle Jake Matthews since 2014, and Pro Bowl right guard Chris Lindstrom along with right tackle Kaleb McGary since 2019.
Dalman was drafted in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft out of Stanford, where he started 22 of 25 games. Notably, during his senior year in 2020, he did not allow a single pressure on a team that had a solid offensive line, earning first-team All-Pac 12 honors.
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