CLEVELAND, OHIO – DECEMBER 15: Joe Thuney #62 of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrates the team’s 21-7 win over the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field on December 15, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images)
The Chicago Bears have made another massive move to address their offensive line, reportedly trading for Kansas City Chiefs All-Pro guard Joe Thuney.
According to multiple reports, including from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Bears will send a fourth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to the Chiefs in exchange for Thuney.
It marks the second move the Bears have made to shore up their offensive line this week, as they acquired guard Jonah Jackson from the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for a sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Both moves won’t be made official until the new NFL league year begins on March 12, but it also give the Bears a head start on reshaping their roster before free agency opens and before the NFL Draft next month.
A third-round pick of the New England Patriots in 2016, Thuney has established himself as one of the top interior offensive linemen in the NFL, making two consecutive first-team All-Pro squads and earning three consecutive Pro Bowl berths.
He has missed just two games in his entire NFL career, and has won four Super Bowl rings during his runs with the Patriots and Chiefs.
Thuney started out last season as a guard with the Chiefs, but slid over to left tackle during the season, continuing to provide solid work at the position as Kansas City came within one game of a three-peat.
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Notably, Thuney will be owed a $16 million cap hit next season according to Spotrac, but will then hit free agency after the campaign.
The moves give them a good deal of flexibility with their picks, as they hold three selections in the first two rounds. In all likelihood the Bears will still go out and get a tackle to pair with Darnell Wright, completely overhauling the line that was assigned to protect Caleb Williams last season.
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If they do, Will Campbell from LSU is a likely candidate as a first round pick, and could also fill in at center if the Bears make other moves. Texas’ Kelvin Banks Jr. is another intriguing option on NFL Draft boards in coming weeks.
Adding both Thuney and Jackson could also lead the Bears to pick from the wealth of edge rushing options in the draft, with Marshall’s Mike Green and Texas A&M’s Shemar Stewart as potential options.
