Since being released by the Minnesota Vikings over a year ago, Garrett Bradbury has had an interesting journey. The former Vikings’ latest stop happens to be with their NFC rivals, the Chicago Bears after a trade this spring, but it didn’t take long for him to be on thin ice with the team.
According to Spotrac, Bradbury signed a renegotiated contract that converted $1 million of his incentives into guaranteed salary. While the deal gives him a total of $4.7 million in 2026 with $3.7 million guaranteed, it is also a sign that Bradbury may not last long in Chicago.
When Bradbury was traded to the Bears from the New England Patriots in exchange for a 2027 fifth-round pick last March, it appeared he was Drew Dalman’s replacement after his sudden retirement.
This was until the Bears selected Iowa center Logan Jones in the second round of last month’s NFL Draft, and with his replacement waiting in the wings, Bradbury’s incentives may have been in jeopardy if he lost his starting job.
The restructure presumably keeps him happy if he loses his job early in the season, but it also makes him more tradeable.
Spotrac reports the restructure lowered his cap hit by removing his incentives, and it could leave him on the block if Jones takes over either during training camp or early in the 2026 season.
Chicago Bears restructure could signal short stay for former Minnesota Vikings center Garrett Bradbury
If things play out this way, it would be a short and disappointing stay for Bradbury in Chicago.Â
The 18th overall pick by the Vikings in the 2019 draft, Bradbury spent six years with the Vikings, but became a major liability in pass protection.
According to Pro Football Focus, the North Carolina State product finished in the top seven in pressures allowed among centers five times during his time in Minnesota, and a league-high 37 pressures in 2024 contributed to his release the following offseason.
Bradbury addressed his issues after signing with the Patriots, allowing 20 pressures and no sacks during the regular season. But he reverted to his old self with nine pressures and two sacks allowed in the four-game run to the Super Bowl, which ultimately led to his trade to the Bears.
At 30-years-old, Bradbury may have known he was more of a stopgap for a long-term solution with the Bears. But with Jones in the fold and a more moveable contract, it could be even shorter than expected, and leave Bradbury to find a new team by the time the 2026 season comes to an end.
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