The Chicago Bears have ensured that left guard Joe Thuney will be a part of the future and not an expensive one-year rental.
Less than two months after trading a 2026 fourth-round draft pick to the Kansas City Chiefs to acquire the three-time Pro Bowl selection, the Bears have reached an agreement on an extension Tuesday with Thuney.
Advertisement
They will sign Thuney, who turns 33 in November, to a 2-year, $35 million extension, meaning he could be with the team through the 2027 season, a league source confirmed. The new contract includes a $33.5 million fully guaranteed for this season and next.
Thuney’s salary cap number was going to be $16 million this season. But with the revised contract, his cap hit has been lowered to $8 million for 2025.
The Bears planned to extend Thuney when they traded for him in March, but with free agency, draft preparation and getting a new coaching staff up to speed, there was no rush to complete business. General manager Ryan Poles said it was a priority, and that’s evident in the deal.
Thuney is a main cog in the offensive line makeover. The Bears also traded for right guard Jonah Jackson from the Los Angeles Rams and signed Drew Dalman to a free-agent deal that made the former Atlanta Falcon the second-highest-paid center in the league.
Advertisement
After adding Boston College tackle Ozzy Trapilo with a second-round draft pick, it’s possible the Bears could have four new starters on the line.
They had interest in Trey Smith, but the Chiefs, under a bit of a salary-cap crunch, opted to deal Thuney and use their resources to place the franchise tag on Smith, their 25-year-old right guard. It wouldn’t be surprising if Smith signs a contract that makes him the highest-paid interior offensive lineman in the league.
Thuney arrived in Chicago with one year remaining on the five-year, $80 million contract he signed in free agency in 2021 to leave the New England Patriots for Kansas City. He was slated to earn a $15.5 million base salary with a $500,000 workout bonus. The old deal’s annual average of $16 million was tied for 11th among NFL guards, and now Thuney has moved up with the new deal.
Who does what in the Chicago Bears organization? Here’s a breakdown.
Advertisement
Thuney, the first player in NFL history to start in the Super Bowl in his first three seasons, has started 146 of a possible 148 regular-season games in his career and was a first-team All-Pro the last two years with the Chiefs.
The Bears have reason to feel much better about their offensive line with Thuney a trusted veteran voice in the meeting room and still playing at a high level. It remains to be seen how the left tackle situation will shake out, but the team has confidence that whoever starts there will be playing alongside a real upgrade.
The Bears used five starters at left and right guard in 2024: Teven Jenkins, Matt Pryor, Nate Davis, Jake Curhan and Ryan Bates, who is the only one of the group remaining on the roster.
