Cost for stability with Joe Thuney's contract is less certain Bears cap

Thuney did cost the Bears a 2026 fourth-round draft pick just before the start of free agency. That's a pick that might have allowed them to come up with a running back earlier in the draft than the seventh round. Then again, if they couldn't open a hole for him, what good would another running back have been?

The best thing about Thuney is he brings them something they lacked on the line when Teven Jenkins played left guard, and that's projected availability. He has missed only two games in his nine seasons, both in 2022. Pro Football Focus tracks him at 25 straight games without allowing a sack.

With Jenkins, they couldn't be certain whether he would be available next week or even would finish a game.

Although he reached a career-high 14 games started last year, Jenkins failed to finish games five times. Jenkins missed 23 games in four year and was hardly alone in absences or leaving the field. Their starting offensive line switched 30 times in the last three seasons due to injuries or other factors

It's little wonder they could never achieve a rhythm or cohesiveness in blocking the run last year.

While their rushing total was near or at the top the previous two years, it was with a total from a quarterback who ran for 1,000 yards added in and that alway pushes a team near the top. It's why Baltimore finishes at or near the top every year in rushing.

With Thuney's signing, the Bears have every player on the starting offensive line under contract through at least 2027 except for left tackle Braxton Jones, who is slated to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2025 season should he remain unsigned.

Currently rehabbing from a broken fibula suffered last December, Jones isn't expected to be available for organized team activities or minicamp, although it's been suggested by coaches and Poles he would be back for training camp.

This all sounds like a very stable situation for the line, although definitely not so for Jones. He'll apparently have this year to take his game up even higher than he had it at last year, and that was in the top half of the league among tackles according to Pro Football Focus.

If Jones does this, then Poles will have a very pleasant and difficult decision to make because he already has future possibilities lined up for the tackle spot in Ozzy Trapilo and Kiran Amegadjie.

What he can't be sure is how he'd pay for Jones if such an improvement in consistency occurred. Now, after Thuney's deal, it isn't exactly clear how he'd pay for anyone in the future. That lists includes Jaquan Brisker, Andrew Billings, Kevin Byard, Elijah Hicks and several others who are free agents in 2026.

Poles will now need to join those GMs in the NFL who must be more creative with the cap.

It's the cost of stability on the line, and it's a situation that absolutely must come with success on the field.