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

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.