Bears Pro Bowl offensive lineman Drew Dalman reportedly retires at 27 years old after just 5 seasons in NFL
Last March, the Chicago Bears made one of the key offseason moves that would propel their team from worst to first in the NFC North, signing center Drew Dalman to a three-year, $42 million deal. A year later, and the 27-year-old will reportedly retire after just five seasons in the NFL, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The move comes as a massive surprise considering Dalman’s age, contract and on-field excellence.
It’s impossible to overstate the impact Dalman had on the Bears during his one season with the team. Following a rough rookie season by quarterback Caleb Williams, in which he was sacked a league-leading 68 times, the Bears splurged on offensive linemen in hopes to shore up a weak spot and help Williams develop.
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It turned out to be an ingenious decision. The team signed Dalman, and traded for Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson to keep Williams clean in the pocket. That trio helped the Bears’ line allow just 24 sacks in 2025. Both Dalman and Thuney made the Pro Bowl after turning in fantastic first seasons in Chicago.
Their excellence helped Williams throw for nearly 4,000 yards, with 27 touchdowns against seven interceptions. That performance was good enough to lead the Bears to an 11-6 record — and a surprising playoff appearance — in 2025.
After helping the Bears turn in one of the franchise’s best offensive seasons, Dalman’s retirement leaves the team’s line in a difficult spot entering 2026. The team was already expected to be without promising rookie Ozzy Trapilo next season after he sustained a knee injury in the playoffs. Dalman’s retirement now means the team will need to replace two major contributors on the line this offseason.
While the move is a massive loss, there is one small benefit to the Bears. A portion of Dalman’s salary will come off the books in 2026, and the Bears are in desperate need of more cap space entering the offseason.
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Dalman, a former fourth-round draft pick, spent his first four seasons in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons. After not starting a single game as a rookie, Dalman developed into a key contributor for the Falcons, starting 40 games with the team over the next three seasons.
He battled ankle injuries in both 2023 and 2024, missing a few games in both seasons due to those injuries.
Despite playing in just nine games ahead of free agency, Dalman signed a three-year, $42 million deal with Chicago last March. He stayed healthy in his first — and only — season in Chicago, starting all 17 games for the Bears in 2025.
