The Chicago Bears entered the 2025 offseason with plenty of cap space and major holes in various key positions. The most important of them, however, was the offensive line. GM Ryan Poles and head coach Ben Johnson wasted no time addressing this need. First, they traded for veteran guard Jonah Jackson. However, they saved their best for Wednesday.
NFL insider Ian Rapoport first reported that the Bears were trading for All-Pro guard Joe Thuney from the Kansas City Chiefs. Then, ESPN's Adam Schefter confirmed the news and said that it was for a 2026 fourth-round pick.
Compensation update; Bears are trading a 2026 fourth-round pick to the Chiefs for Pro-Bowl OL Joe Thuney, per source. https://t.co/QAcfND57By
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 5, 2025
NFL News: Bears Make Big Splash by Trading for All-Pro G Joe Thuney
This is a major acquisition for the Bears. The offensive line was a big need for Chicago after Caleb Williams struggled in his rookie season due to poor protection. Now, the Bears are adding one of the best offensive linemen in the league.
While the Chiefs wanted to move on from Thuney because of age-related and financial concerns, the 32-year-old is still at his peak form. He hasn't missed a game over the last two seasons and made All-Pro first team. He is better than any of the free-agent options the Bears could have realistically signed.
The Bears will reportedly take on Thuney's contract as-is, per Albert Breer. This means that Chicago is adding $16 million to their books. The veteran only has one year on his contract and whether the Bears will sign him to a longer extension remains to be seen.
How the Bears will use Thuney will be fascinating. Just like Jonah Jackson, Thuney has also spent most of his career at left guard. He was moved to left tackle during the 2024 season after Kansas City's struggles and performed admirably. Whether Ben Johnson will utilize him there or have Thuney and Jackson play each guard position will be interesting to watch.