The Chicago Bears made another move on Wednesday, trading a 2026 fourth-round pick to the Kansas City Chiefs for All-Pro guard Joe Thuney.
The deal marks Chicago’s second for an offensive line in as many days and indicates they are willing to spend to protect their investment, 2024 first-overall pick Caleb Williams. That differs from their approach in years past, as they haven’t ranked higher than 15th in annual offensive line spending since 2017.Â
Williams was also the most-sacked quarterback in the NFL last year, running away from the field with 68 sacks compared to C.J. Stroud’s silver medal-worthy 52. Bo Nix, another rookie, was only sacked 24 times, nearly one-third of Williams’ total.
With a refurbished offensive line, a new head coach, and young playmakers on the outside, the Bears are taking steps toward building a sustainable model of success. But how far will they get this now that they added Thuney to the mix?
Joe Thuney traded to the Bears
Thuney comes to the Bears with a treasure trove of experience from his time with the New England Patriots (2016-20) and the Chiefs (2021-25). He also produced the highest pass block win rate among all interior offensive linemen last year en route to becoming Pro Football Focus’ seventh-ranked guard.
He only allowed two sacks, both while filling in at left tackle in the playoffs, and committed one penalty in 1,115 snaps.
Meanwhile, the Bears were blitzed the fourth-most times, leading to them giving up the sixth-most pressures and 10th-highest pressure rate.Â
The team’s leading rusher, D’Andre Swift, was also just 47th in yards before contact per attempt (2.0) and had the sixth-highest mark in attempts per broken tackle (36.1).
All of that screams that the Bears needed to upgrade in the trenches, particularly with the competition in the NFC North.
The Detroit Lions drafted studs Alim McNeil and Aidan Hutchinson on their defensive line and ranked fourth in pressure percentage, even with the former missing most of the season. The Minnesota Vikings ranked fourth in yards allowed per rush attempt and sixth in pressure percentage, and the Green Bay Packers were third in yards allowed per rush and ninth in sacks.
Who should the Bears pick in the NFL Draft?
New coach Ben Johnson will know the importance of building the trenches after he spent the last three seasons with the Lions, whose dominant line play enabled them to consistently run the ball and set up an assortment of downfield passing attacks.
The Lions led the league in points and yards per game during Johnson’s tenure from 2022-24. If he greenlighted the moves for Thuney and Jonah Jackson, whom the Bears acquired on Tuesday, it was probably for good, no, great reasons.
The back-to-back trades shift the thinking heading into the 2025 NFL Draft. The prevailing opinion was that the team needed to draft a lineman, but there might now be more alluring and sensible options. Here are two of my favorites.
Ashton Jeanty (RB, Boise State)
A standout candidate is Heisman runner-up and Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty. My first-round NFL mock draft had Da Bears selecting the prolific back at the 10 spot coming off a season in which he amassed 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns on a ridiculous 7.0 yards per carry.
Jeanty is a do-it-all back and would fill Johnson’s need for a back to help stay ahead of the chains on first and second down. He’d also force opposing defensive coordinators to shift their eyes away from Williams, giving their young signal-caller valuable time as he continues to gain experience in his formative years.
Tyler Warren (TE, Penn State)
Another option could be Penn State tight end Tyler Warren, the most powerful run-after-catch player in the draft. His 19 missed tackles forced and 13 contested catches ranked second and third among tight ends in a season in which he nearly led the country at 2.78 yards per route run and had 104 receptions for 1,230 yards and 12 total TDs.
Nearly all of the best teams in the league have security in the middle of the field, whether from their tight end or slot receiver. Warren would be a security blanket for Williams and, at 6-foot-6, 260 pounds, could pitch in as a blocker.
Josh Simmons (OT, Ohio State)
Simmons was on his way to being the highest-pick offensive tackle in the draft until he tore his patellar tendon six games into the season. He allowed just one hurry and no sacks in those games and, at 6’5, 310 pounds, has an NFL body.
Only 22 years old, Simmons is very fluid for a large man and has a strong base. He spent the first two years of his college career at San Diego State and showed consistent improvement once he got to Columbus, which suggests he still has plenty of untapped potential he could realize in the NFL.
