Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles has led a bloodletting of sorts, cutting ties with several key contributors from last season’s resurgent campaign, and that could lead them to an option like former Kentucky Wildcats player Jager Burton in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Some of the Bears’ personnel losses were beyond their control, and they have had to make do amid those unfortunate developments.
Burton could be another part of that process.
Bears Show Interest in Ex-Wildcats C Jager Burton
Jager Burton Could Be Bears’ C of the Future
“The #Bears are hosting Kentucky IOL Jager Burton on a pre-draft ‘30’ visit, as he alluded to on his Instagram story,” Sleeper affiliate Arye Pulli reported on X on March 17.
“Ranked #141 on PFF’s Big Board.”
In his profile on the lineman, NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein wrote, “Durable fifth-year senior who has made 47 consecutive starts. Burton is built to play center but could offer swing potential at guard. He has adequate play strength and good quickness for a zone-blocking scheme.
“Gets beaten to first contact by length and will struggle to put up a sustained fight against two-gappers at the point. He can slow a bull rush but needs to do a better job of protecting his edges and operating with consistent posture. Burton’s best fit will be with a zone-heavy running game as a late draft pick or undrafted free agent signee.”
Bears Need Long-Term Plan at Center
The Bears lost Pro Bowl center Drew Dalman to a surprising retirement this offseason, and they have already traded with the New England Patriots for Garrett Bradbury to replace him.
They also used 2025 sixth-round pick Luke Newman at center last training camp
Bradbury is in the final year of a two-year, $9.5 million contract and, turning 31 in June, is more of a stop-game option rather than a long-term solution at the pivot for the Bears. Newman is a project, coming in as a guard.
That could make a true center option like Burton appealing to the Bears, particularly if they do not need to use a premium pick on him. However, the hit rate on players like that is low.
Burton is more of a fallback option rather than Plan A.