Another trade: Chicago Bears reportedly acquiring Guard Joe Thuney

Another day and another Chicago Bears trade in the books. The offensive line makeover is officially on.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Wednesday morning that Chicago is trading a 2026 fourth-round pick to the Kansas City Chiefs for Guard Joe Thuney.

This comes less than 24 hours after the Bears sent a sixth-rounder to the Rams for Guard Jonah Jackson. Bears GM Ryan Poles has now filled two starting spots on the offensive line before free agency opens next week.

Thuney, 32, is on the final year of a 5/$80 million deal. His cap hit is $16 million. The trade will officially process March 12, leaving the Bears with $45 million in remaining cap space.

Analysis of the trade

The Bears are aggressively addressing their top needs and improving the line ahead of Caleb Williams.

You could criticize Poles for spending draft capital and cap space on a release candidate in Jackson. That argument doesn’t apply here.

Thuney may not be an elite-level guard anymore, but he’s a notch below at worst. PFF graded him out as the 12th best guard in the NFL last year and eighth in pass protection. He moved to left tackle late in the season for Kansas City when its options there fell apart.

The Chiefs were not going to cut Thuney to get under the cap after franchise tagging Guard Trey Smith. Still, the trade is somewhat of a shocker considering their own offensive line needs and his value to Kansas City.

Where adding Jackson was a sign of Ben Johnson’s influence, this move would point to Poles’ connections with the Chiefs.

I still don’t see Thuney as severely altering Chicago’s off season outlook. At least not in the draft. The Bears still need to find a starting center and would be sensible landing spots for Drew Dalman, Josh Myers or Ryan Kelly. With the starting guard spots locked up as known costs, Poles can pursue the center market with a better idea of what’s left in the bank.

Johnson and Poles have spoken this winter on continuity along the offensive line. Jackson is signed until 2027 but can be cut without a dead cap hit after this season. Thuney is set to be a free agent and his age would point to a short-term deal in the future.

That’s why it wouldn’t be surprising to see Chicago still address the offensive line in the draft, barring any extension with Thuney. If Poles and Johnson want to add real competition for LT Braxton Jones, they can address that at No. 10, No. 39 or No. 41.

The draft is viewed as having a number of starters in the first two days. That’s good news for the Bears, who have set themselves to maximize the draft and cap space with these two trades.