March 21, 2026, 12:32 p.m. CT
The Chicago Bears will need to do their due diligence in addressing the holes on their roster this offseason, after having a tame start to free agency. One of the biggest voids the team has is longevity at the center position following the abrupt retirement of Drew Dalman, which the Bears moved quickly to patch up by trading for veteran center Garrett Bradbury.
Looking ahead to the 2026 NFL Draft, Chicago is expected to focus on upgrading the trenches on both offense and defense, including potentially being in play for a center. One of the top players at the position is Sam Hecht out of Kansas State, and he recently was asked about the potential of playing for the Bears during a recent appearance on the “Up & Adams Show.”
With the Bears having plenty of hands on deck at the Kansas State Pro Day, Hecht shared what the interactions were like and what it could mean for him to land in Chicago and protect quarterback Caleb Williams.
“Their O-line coach and assistant O-line coach were the ones putting us through the o-line drills,” Hecht said. “It was great to meet them and really appreciated the relationship. Protecting a quarterback of that caliber, that’s super exciting, for sure. The staff were amazing, I feel like we grew a good relationship in the short time we had with each other.”
Hecht added that he loves the way Williams has an ability to make plays at the quarterback position, but wouldn’t go too in-depth, while cracking that a smile that told the story for him.
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Chicago has their veteran in place for the 2026 season in Bradbury. But, thinking long-term, Hecht could be a name to watch in the NFL draft next month if they’re looking to grow from within and continue to add youth to a roster that has seen quite a bit of turnover this offseason.
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