The now have a key starter to replace after an unexpected retirement. According to , Bears Pro Bowl center Drew Dalman has decided to retire from the NFL. "ESPN sources: Bears Pro Bowl center Drew Dalman has informed the team that he is retiring from the NFL Dikembe Mutombo Jersey at age 27. Dalman left Stanford in 2021, and after four seasons in Atlanta and one in Chicago, he has made the sudden and surprising decision to retire," Schefter reported. As Schefter points out, this is no doubt a surprise, as Dalman is just 27 years old and is coming off a Pro Bowl season. As of this writing, it isn't clear why Dalman is hanging up his cleats. A former fourth-round pick of the , Dalman spent four seasons with the team before signing with the Bears in free agency last offseason. Dalman posted his best season as a pro in 2025, with the now-former Bears center ranking seventh in run-blocking grade and 14th in pa s-blocking grade, per , while giving up one sack and 24 pre sures. Now, the Bears have a huge void to fill up the middle. According to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, the Bears have "sniffed around" free agent center Tyler Linderbaum, who is one of the most coveted players set to hit the open market, so Chicago might go big-game hunting to replace Dalman. More NFL News P.J. Tucker Jersey