The Heavy Favorite To Replace Drew Dalman In Chicago Isn’t Who You Think
Drew Dalman retiring is a kick to the gut for the Chicago Bears. This team has worked for over a decade to secure that position, trying all sorts of names. Some worked a little better than others, but nobody stood out as a clear solution. Dalman seemed to change that with his Pro Bowl campaign last season. Now he’s stepping away from football at age 27, leaving a massive void in the middle of the Bears’ offensive line. So what do GM Ryan Poles and head coach Ben Johnson do now?
Let’s start with the obvious. Don’t expect the team to find their answer in the draft. It’s not the best year for find a true day one starter in this class. Besides, Johnson will want a veteran in the middle who can help make life easier for quarterback Caleb Williams, calling protections and getting guys aligned properly. The big fish of free agency is Tyler Linderbaum from Baltimore. Chicago already hosted veteran Tyler Biadasz for a visit. However, the one who may actually fit this team the best is Connor McGovern.
Connor McGovern can do everything Drew Dalman did.
The 28-year-old had the best season of his career for the Buffalo Bills in 2025, allowing just 18 pressures on Josh Allen in 19 games and helping pave the way for James Cook and their #1-ranked rushing attack. Unfortunately for Buffalo, they don’t have the cap space to hand McGovern the extension he deserves. Thus, he will be a free agent next week. When looking at the scouting reports about him, you start to see traits that Johnson and offensive line coach Dan Roushar would immediately gravitate to.
Starting experience as both a guard and center. NFL body type with broad upper body and good lower-body thickness. Works well in double teams. Can punch and carry target while the double block settles in. Stays wide and can play wide. Good catch-run-and-secure transitioning on zone blocks. Bends effectively for desired pad level. Able to dig opponents anchor out on down blocks. Consistent hand placement as run blocker. Not easily bull-rushed. Can open hips and make athletic recoveries when beaten. Decent redirect power in pass protection.
A center in this offense must be smart, tough, athletic, and a strong run-blocker like Drew Dalman was. McGovern is all of those things and might actually be a better pass protector. His anchor against power is something Dalman never really possessed. The challenge will be money. Projections have McGovern commanding around $16 million per year. That is a lot less than Linderbaum ($25 million) but more than Dalman’s cost ($14 million). Are the Bears willing to foot the bill?
| Season | Team | Position | Sacks Allowed | Pressures Allowed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Dallas | Guard | 3 | 16 | Partial starter (8 games) |
| 2021 | Dallas | Guard | 1 | 16 | Rotation player |
| 2022 | Dallas | Guard | 2 | 23 | Full-time starter |
| 2023 | Buffalo | Left Guard | 2 | 28 | 4.1% pressure rate (Top 20 among guards) |
| 2024 | Buffalo | Center | 0 | 27 | Pro Bowl replacement; zero sacks allowed |
| 2025 | Buffalo | Center | 0 | 18 | 73.4 PFF pass-block grade (6th among centers) |
McGovern would plug the hole, but at a price.
If the Bears move to sign him, any chance they may have of trading for Maxx Crosby dies. They can’t afford to pay McGovern what he’ll command and secure the star pass rusher as well. Given what we know about this team’s power structure, it feels like Johnson would push to settle the center position. They need to ensure Williams is adequately protected for that offense to work. From there, they will have to rely on mid-tier free agents and the draft to address other roster issues, such as left tackle, the defensive line, and the secondary.
It’s a challenging job, but one the Bears must face. They have a strong core in place. That is the good news. If they manage their resources appropriately, they should be able to keep the team strong enough to once again challenge in the NFC. The one thing they must not do is overreach themselves. One player alone won’t get them where they want to go. McGovern would be a good first step, though. Convincing him to join the roster without breaking the bank will be the hard part.