While landing Jonah Jackson was one thing, the Chicago Bears trading for Joe Thuney sent a clear message. The team was unwilling to enter 2025 with anything close to the same offensive line they had in 2024.
Thuney is a four-time Super Bowl champion and a nine-year NFL. He is one of the most well-respected guards and in the league and still one of the top performers. Rather than put together a patch work offensive line, the Bears attacked the issue head on.
Still, it’ll be quite the change for Thuney going from the Kansas City Chiefs to the Bears. While the Chiefs were just in the Super Bowl, Thuney’s next goal is getting acclimated in Chicago and getting the franchise back on track, via Adam Jahns of The Athletic.
“As NFL players, we kind of know what we signed up for, Thuney said. “I love KC and it was great, but it just is what it is. All I can do now is focus on today and here and Chicago and trying to be the best teammate I can be here. And I had a lot of great messages from KC, great, positive things. It was obviously nice to hear from a lot of people, but just ready to get going here.”
What Joe Thuney offers Chicago Bears
Head coach Ben Johnson has already confirmed that Thuney will play left guard. He provided a bit of versatility for the Chiefs in 2024, sliding to tackle when necessary. The Bears might need that at some point, but he’ll at least enter the year locked in at left guard.
He is coming off of a season that saw him start all 17 games, earning his second-straight All-Pro selection and third-straight Pro Bowl nomination. Thuney earned a 79.9 grade from Pro Football Focus, ranking 12/135 guards. He excelled at pass blocking as his 82 grade ranked fifth/135 guards.
Keeping Caleb Williams upright in the pocket is Chicago’s number one goal in their offensive line upheaval. Ultimately, whether or not the Bears succeeded in improving their offensive line will largely be dictated by the amount of sacks they give up. Thuney will need to bring his pass blocking prowess from Kansas City to Chicago.
Alongside his work on the gridiron, Thuney must be a clear vocal leader for the Bears. He knows exactly what it takes to win a Super Bowl. As the Bears try to get back into contention, his voice will be one they lean on tremendously.
Thuney speaks on potential contract extension
While Thuney is locked in for the 2025 campaign, he is set to be a free agent following the season. The Chicago Bears would undoubtedly want to sign him to a long-term extension, assuming his scheme fit works out as planned.
However, Thuney is putting extension talks on the backburner for now. He just arrived to Chicago and is still getting settled in. He’s focused on helping the Bears become a better football team before he starts thinking about contract numbers.
“I’m grateful to be here and I’m pumped to play,” Thuney said. “I’ll let the business side of it handle itself. Excited to get on the field with the guys in OTAs and I’m excited to start working. Just looking forward to it.”
With a strong performance in front of Williams, Thuney will set himself up for a nice payday. But a big contract also means that the Bears were able to fix their offensive line problems with Thuney and company. At least for now, the offensive lineman cares about team success much more.
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