Pros and cons of C Drew Dalman

The Green Bay Packers are approaching free agency in 2025 with no priority free agents, plenty of salary cap space and a need to add veteran talent to a young, cheap and ascending roster.

One year after signing safety Xavier McKinney and running back Josh Jacobs in free agency, general manager Brian Gutekunst is in a position to make another splash in 2025.

Until free agency, Packers Wire will run through potential options, continuing today with center Drew Dalman, in an attempt to identify the pros and cons of each potential target for Gutekunst.

Dalman, a 2021 draft pick of the Atlanta Falcons, figures to be one of the most coveted free agents of the cycle.

Let’s dig into the pros and cons of the Packers going after Dalman:

Pros

— Dalman is arguably the best free-agent center available and a strong candidate to replace Josh Myers if Green Bay moves on.

— Still in the prime of his career at 26 years old.

— According to Pro Football Focus grading, Dalman ranked third out of 32 centers who played at least 500 snaps in 2024. He finished second in 2023.

— Dalman is an elite run blocker, earning a 79.8 grade in 2024 and a dominant 90.0 in 2023, per PFF.

— Dalman is an ideal fit for Green Bay’s zone rushing scheme. He moves really well in space and is proficient at climbing to the second level.

— He isn’t known for being the biggest center, but Dalman makes up for it with hand placement, technique and leg drive.

— Regarded as an elite athlete coming out of Stanford, posting a 9.92 RAS, which was the fifth highest all-time among centers at the time. The Packers love athletic linemen.

— Good NFL bloodlines. His father, Chris Dalman, was drafted in the sixth round by the 49ers in 1993 and started 64 games as a guard and center.

Realistic FA target for the #Packers this offseason:

Falcons C Drew Dalman

✅57 games (40 starts)
✅4th-highest PFF grade among centers in ’24
✅5th in run-blocking, 22nd in pass-blocking (out of 64)

Undersized (6-3, 300 lbs) but uses footwork and hand usage to his advantage. pic.twitter.com/SVAwX6GqzS

— Brandon Carwile (@BCarwile_NFL) January 21, 2025

Cons

— Doesn’t offer much positional flexibility, which Green Bay covets in offensive linemen. Dalman could potentially fill in at guard, but only in an emergency.

— Missed eight games in 2024 due to an ankle injury.

— Lacks ideal NFL size (6-3, 305) and can struggle at the point of attack due to limited play strength.

— Needs to improve in…