Ben Johnson, Ryan Poles break silence on Joe Thuney’s Chicago Bears extension

After finding their next head coach, the Chicago Bears’ biggest offseason priority was fixing their porous offensive line. Amongst their additions came guard Joe Thuney, who the Bears acquired in a trade from the Kansas City Chiefs.

Thuney came to Chicago with plenty of accolades, including four Super Bowl titles. However, he only had one year remaining left on his contract. The Bears made sure to remedy that issue, signing Thuney to a two-year extension worth $17.5 million each season. Now, the guard is set to be a pivotal piece of quarterback Caleb Williams’ blocking scheme for the foreseeable future.

Head coach Ben Johnson knew fixing the Bears would be a massive project. But he has worked in tandem with general manager Ryan Poles to make Chicago look much stronger on paper. Thuney is the crown jewel of the team’s new additions and a force Johnson and Poles are excited to work with, via the team’s website.

“We are looking forward to Joe being a member of the Chicago Bears for the years ahead,” said General Manager Ryan Poles. “Joe’s leadership and experience have already positively impacted our organization, and we are fortunate that he will continue to lead our team, on and off the field.”

“We are excited to secure Joe as a member of our team moving forward,” said Head Coach Ben Johnson. “As we build our culture through hard work and belief, Joe will be an integral piece to the growth and development of our football team.”

Joe Thuney gives Chicago Bears pivotal building block

The Bears let up a league-high 68 sacks in 2024. While Williams’ struggles as a rookie certainly played a role, his offensive line did him no favors. Chicago was aggressive in attacking the position, acquiring fellow guard Jonah Jackson in a trade before signing center Drew Dalman and drafting tackle Ozzy Trapilo. But of all their offensive line additions, Thuney’s may be the most crucial.

On the field, the guard has only elevated his game despite entering his age-33 season. He made three straight Pro Bowls from 2022-2024. In his final season with the Chiefs, Thuney put together arguably the strongest campaign of his career, earning him his first All-Pro nomination. Furthermore, Thuney earned a 79.9 grade from Pro Football Focus, ranking 12/136 guards. He ranked fifth with his 82 pass block grade.

The Bears didn’t want to patch up their offensive line with band-aids, they wanted a true long-term answer. With Thuney now signed through 2027, Chicago has successfully – at least on paper – rebuilt their line in the present and future.

Thuney will be pivotal every season he is with the Bears, but the 2025 campaign will truly set the tone. For as much hype as Johnson and Williams have drawn, the former is a first-time NFL head coach while the latter is a sophomore carrying lofty expectations on his shoulders.

Having a player like Thuney around gives both strong leadership to build around. Whenever the franchise hits the inevitable rocky roads, the guard understands how to navigate choppy waters. Furthermore, he knows what it takes to ascend to the NFL’s mountaintop. If the Bears are serious about being contenders, having a player like Thuney, who has been there and done that, will be key.

And clearly Thuney has bought into what the Bears are building. Putting his name on the dotted line, he is locked in on Johnson and Poles’ vision. Now, it’s just up to the guard and the rest of the roster to prove Chicago’s revival is legit.