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Washington Commanders center Tyler Biadasz.
The Washington Commanders still haven’t explained why they released starting center Tyler Biadasz, and it might be that decision directly helps one of their NFC rivals.
Less than 1 week after the Commanders parted ways with Biadasz in a move to seemingly created more salary cap space, the Chicago Bears moved quickly to deal with the shocking retirement of Pro Bowl center Drew Dalman on Tuesday after just 5 NFL seasons.
“The Bears are hosting free agent center Tyler Biadasz on a visit, source said,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport wrote on his official X account on Tuesday. “The former Commanders starter was recently released and now is available before the frenzy begins.”
Signing Biadasz before free agency officially kicks off on March 9 would be an incredible get for the Bears, who will enter the 2026 season as Super Bowl contenders with 1 of the NFL’s elite young quarterbacks in Caleb Williams after going 11-6 in 2025, winning the NFC North and advancing to the NFC Divisional Round.
The Commanders, on the other hand, went 5-12 and now no longer have a starting center.
“The Washington Commanders released starting center Tyler Biadasz, a source confirmed Thursday, freeing up more salary cap space but creating another need,” ESPN’s John Keim wrote on February 26. “Washington saves $2.885 million in salary cap space — the Commanders have the fifth-most cap space available, but now have only 52 players signed for 2026. The Commanders will save $8.3 million this season if they designate his release to a post-June 1 cut and the savings would not go into effect until that time.”
Biadasz Signed Big Money Deal in 2024
Biadasz started 31 games the last 2 seasons for the Commanders after signing a 3-year, $29.5 million free agent contract before the 2024 season.
The plan for the Commanders, while not totally clear, could be to simply put 2-time Super Bowl champion Nick Allegretti at center — he’s listed as a guard/center — although there is the possibility of signing a free agent or even drafting a center on Day 2 or Day 3 of the 2026 NFL draft.
Drafted in the 4th round (No. 146 overall) out of Wisconsin in the 2020 NFL draft, the 6-foot-4, 316-pound Biadasz spent his first 4 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, where he was named a Pro Bowler in 2022.
Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder called Biadasz the best center in the NFC East headed into the 2025 season after he helped lead the Commanders to the NFC Championship Game in 2024.
“Cam Jurgens is coming off an impressive campaign, earning a Pro Bowl nomination in his first season as the Eagles’ starting center,” Holder wrote. “Biadasz has just been doing it longer and for two NFC East teams over the last five years. Plus, the latter was better in pass protection last year, allowing 14 pressures to Jurgens’ 25, per Pro Football Focus.”
Tyler Biadasz Still Elite Center in 2025
When we see the relatively paltry savings for releasing Biadasz, it’s easy to assume the reason would have been a drop off in play, but that’s just not the case.
According to Pro Football Focus, Biadasz’s 70.7 overall grade in 2025 put him 11th among 40 eligible NFL centers — and that came with basically having to go the whole season back and forth between 2 starting quarterbacks in the oft-injured Jayden Daniels and backup Marcus Mariota.
Tony Adame covers the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Commanders, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos. A veteran sports writer and editor since 2004, his work has been featured at Stadium Talk, Yardbarker, NW Florida Daily News and Pensacola News Journal. More about Tony Adame
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