Patriots Player Departure Pats trade Garrett Bradbury to the Bears for a 2027 5th

BennyBledsoe · Mar 6, 2026

With how important the OL is, I would be creating as many opportunities as I could right now. Last year relied on two stopgap players in Bradbury and Moses. If the whole early part of the draft was OL, I wouldn't even blink.

The OL was bad last year. But we had gotten so used to awful and embarrassing OL play the past couple of years that even bad looked fantastic. Seriously, the only guy who should feel semisafe is Campbell. When fully healthy, he was promising. I expect he gets stronger and smarter this year. He seems like he takes pride in what he does on the field. I think he'll be committed to learning what it takes to succeed at a higher level.

203Pat · Mar 6, 2026

Wilson to center and they're likely going to pay a LG in free agency. Still annoys me we didn't trade for Thuney last year.

ctpatsfan77 · Mar 6, 2026

Toofy said:
That's a pretty good return ~~considering we did not spend anything~~ for a 30-year-old center earning ~$5M a year.

FTFY.

JoeSixPat · Mar 6, 2026

A.C Vegas said:
I am surprised that they got anything for him. Wilson has to be moving to center

No - I'm hoping this portends a move for a Center for someone like Tyler Linderbaum

There was actually speculation that the Bears were interested in Linderbaum - but I'd say this addresses that need for them

Insider believes Bears are 'greasing the wheels' for Tyler Linderbaum

The Chicago Bears appear to be preparing to make a splash at center, and it sounds like Tyler Linderbaum is the target.

bearswire.usatoday.com

Just gut feelings - like my gut feeling that the reason the Bills traded for DJ Moore is because they got clear signals that Alec Pierce wants to join the Pats

Could be that the Bears got the same signal from Linderbaum and the Pats know it - hence they were willing to let Bradbury go

Crossing my fingers

Huckleberry1 · Mar 6, 2026

Toofy said:
I like this. You would weaken the bills but at same time have a fallback option for center and build contingency . I hope wilson pans out as a center.

I think Vrabel has had Cowden and Wolf working on an offseason plan for a long time. All of their decisions are calculated with various options built in. They are making tough decisions that are all directed at getting better and contending long term. Fans tend to want immediate fixes directed at success for the coming season, but they have both next season and the long haul in mind. Bradbury was a nice band aid but not a long term answer. Good guy, played well, but my the long term answer.

Toofy · Mar 6, 2026

ctpatsfan77 said:
FTFY.

I meant draft assets ... Salary is ok.

Toofy · Mar 6, 2026

Based on the quest to get younger and the fact that we released Bradbury and diggs , looks like top 3 draft picks will be across these 3 positions in no particular order - RT,CB , TE . Each one a understudy for Carlton Davis, Moses and Henry .

condon84 · Mar 6, 2026

I have faith in our FO and Vrabel that they've self scouted and know what they have and what we need.

IMO, I think we move Wilson to center and get a guard who isn't going to break the bank. Lindenbaum is going to be expensive. Do we need to pay a center that much money? I think we get a guard, move Wilson to center, and use our cap for Edge, WR, and extend some contracts.

Ross12 · Mar 6, 2026

This is like highway robbery from Wolf, Cowden and company.

Sign a player for pennies last year off the free agent scrap heap, get a solid year out of him on the way to a Super Bowl berth, and then flip him for a 5th round pick a year later.

Bears fans have to be wondering why their front office didn’t just sign Bradbury a year ago for free.

Huckleberry1 · Mar 6, 2026

Toofy said:
Based on the quest to get younger and the fact that we released Bradbury and diggs , looks like top 3 draft picks will be across these 3 positions in no particular order - RT,CB , TE . Each one a understudy for Carlton Davis, Moses and Henry .

I would love Iheanachor at 31.

JoeSixPat · Mar 6, 2026

203Pat said:
Wilson to center and they're likely going to pay a LG in free agency. Still annoys me we didn't trade for Thuney last year.

Wilson to Center doesn't thrill me - Wilson kindof showed himself to be a backup in my mind and even Ben Brown is an improvement over Wilson at LG

I'm pulling for Linderbaum to anchor the line for the next five years and would be thrilled if they used their #1 pick on someone like Caleb Lomu who has played LT but can be the RT of the future (or better yet, compete with Brown at LG)

Huckleberry1 · Mar 6, 2026

JoeSixPat said:
Wilson to Center doesn't thrill me - Wilson kindof showed himself to be a backup in my mind and even Ben Brown is an improvement over Wilson at LG

I'm pulling for Linderbaum to anchor the line for the next five years and would be thrilled if they used their #1 pick on someone like Caleb Lomu who has played LT but can be the RT of the future (or better yet, compete with Brown at LG)

I like Lomu but I think Iheanachor's upside is huge. He's only been playing football for 5 years, and was a soccer player, he's got great feet and tied for the best 40 time for OL at the combine.

farn · Mar 6, 2026

Ross12 said:
This is like highway robbery from Wolf, Cowden and company.

Sign a player for pennies last year off the free agent scrap heap, get a solid year out of him on the way to a Super Bowl berth, and then flip him for a 5th round pick a year later.

Bears fans have to be wondering why their front office didn’t just sign Bradbury a year ago for free.

Bears had a 27 year old stud at C last year. He just bailed on them. No ?

Zuma · Mar 6, 2026

Wilson is a 22 yo rookie who started 13 games for us. Everybody wants fast food McDonald's...give it some time...it will be worth it....gessh

JoeSixPat · Mar 6, 2026

Ross12 said:
This is like highway robbery from Wolf, Cowden and company.

Sign a player for pennies last year off the free agent scrap heap, get a solid year out of him on the way to a Super Bowl berth, and then flip him for a 5th round pick a year later.

Bears fans have to be wondering why their front office didn’t just sign Bradbury a year ago for free.

Bears fans were gearing up for Tyler Linderbaum

Instead they have Bradbury

Who knows, maybe the Bears got the feeling that Linderbaum wanted to play elsewhere and the Pats got the feeling they didn't need Bradbury anymore!

Insider believes Bears are 'greasing the wheels' for Tyler Linderbaum

The Chicago Bears appear to be preparing to make a splash at center, and it sounds like Tyler Linderbaum is the target.

bearswire.usatoday.com

ctpatsfan77 · Mar 6, 2026

Toofy said:
I meant draft assets ... Salary is ok.

Yeah, I get that. But my point is that there's a reductionism, at least among Pats fans, that the sum total value of a player is what they fetch when they leave, as if their presence had no value to the team.

Diffs4 · Mar 6, 2026

Ross12 said:
This is like highway robbery from Wolf, Cowden and company.

Sign a player for pennies last year off the free agent scrap heap, get a solid year out of him on the way to a Super Bowl berth, and then flip him for a 5th round pick a year later.

Bears fans have to be wondering why their front office didn’t just sign Bradbury a year ago for free.

They signed a much better center last year to a four year contract that just retired after one year. I am the first to bag on bad front office decisions but this is not one of them.

203Pat · Mar 6, 2026

JoeSixPat said:
Wilson to Center doesn't thrill me - Wilson kindof showed himself to be a backup in my mind and even Ben Brown is an improvement over Wilson at LG

I'm pulling for Linderbaum to anchor the line for the next five years and would be thrilled if they used their #1 pick on someone like Caleb Lomu who has played LT but can be the RT of the future (or better yet, compete with Brown at LG)

Wilson was a rookie, playing out of position, playing next to another rookie. He was a one year starter at Georgia where he exclusively played center. Wilson has the build and skillset of a center and both him and Campbell would benefit from playing next to a larger, veteran guard. Bradbury played well last year so this is definitely a risk but Vrabel and this staff seem to want to get as many young guys in place for the future as they can.

Give Kraft A Hand · Mar 6, 2026

TheRainMaker said:
They are going after Lindenbaum unless he foolishly re-signs with Baltimore.

Lindenbaum has been ticketed to the Giants since Harbaugh signed. I think this is more Wilson being the new Center.

Water Boy · Mar 6, 2026

You have to give Wilson an opportunity at center.

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