Bears Acquire Joe Thuney

[wab]

[LacertineForest]

Well, one thing is for certain: they aren't fucking around trying to re-shape the OL.

Looks like he would cost (financially, not sure about draft compensation) $15.5M this year and is in the last year of his contract: https://overthecap.com/player/joe-thuney/4791

Another relatively high spend (although compared to FA cost, not as much as the top guys will get), so you'd have to think they will want to sign him to a longer-term deal.

[wab]

Looks like for a future 4th.

[wab]

[LacertineForest]

Looks like for a future 4th.

Good - so long as they can sign him to a longer contract, as well (not a huge fan of giving up draft picks for 1-year rentals, like KA). I like keeping the rest of the picks they have this year, if they can.

[UOK]

I love it. Keep going, Poles. This OL can't be finished. It was THAT bad last year.

[wab]

Sounds like Poles offered a 2 and a 5 for Smith yesterday, but they pivoted to Thuney this morning.

[The Kaiser]

Wow. One year left on his deal and 32 years old. This is literally the OL version of Keenan Allen last year.

Hope we can extend him at a good price before he be becomes an FA.

[VA_Mountain_Bear]

Sounds like Poles offered a 2 and a 5 for Smith yesterday, but they pivoted to Thuney this morning.

Smith would have been awesome, but I didn't want to give even a single 1st round pick for him. I love this pivot, and feel a future 4th is an awesome price for a G we should get a good 2-3 years from while we coach up draft picks. If we can get a C in FA to upgrade on Shelton/Bates, then I feel like we are walking into the draft in really good shape.

[UOK]

Sounds like Poles offered a 2 and a 5 for Smith yesterday, but they pivoted to Thuney this morning.

I'm actually ok with this. Thuney can give you another 2-3 years, assuming you get a small extension done, and 2nd round picks are gold these days.

[G08]

All right, looks like we are not fucking around and we want some proven veterans on this line.

I do find it interesting that these guys are out of one or two-year deals remaining, so I wonder if they're just rentals, if we're thinking about extensions, or if they're here to be quality depth while we draft kids to learn underneath them.

[Moriarty]

This one I like a lot better...maybe.

He's been healthy and he's a stud. 15M and a R4 is fine.

The main catch is that it sounds like they're going to extend him. What kind of extension you're going to give a (almost, by Opening Day) 33yo OL is a major 'detail'. That might or might not come back to bite you, depending.

Also, it makes me even more suspicious of the Jonah Jackson pickup. It's a really good draft for G. It's not necessary to run out and spend big money on long term deals for TWO of them. I don't like the overall strategy, unless they still do draft a young one, and manage one or both of these 2 vet contracts/extensions(?) so that they can be unloaded without big hits when the young one is ready.

[Moriarty]

Sounds like Poles offered a 2 and a 5 for Smith yesterday, but they pivoted to Thuney this morning.

Holy crap, did KC ever save Poles from himself!

[wab]

I'm assuming both Thuney and Jackson get extensions...2-3 year deals once the league year opens.

[cblaz11]

His ability to play LT is huge …

I like the move a lot more knowing it’s a 4th next year.

Use this years 4 on his future replacement

[The Kaiser]

They're both traditionally left guards. Who goes to the right? I presume the younger Jackson?

[The Kaiser]

Use this years 4 on his future replacement

Would be a nice idea if we had one...

[Z Bear]

That is a lot of money invested at G is two days....people are going to be pissed when we role into training campe with Bates and Stromberg at C. If they go that route I hope the add one of the top C prospects like Jared Wilson from Georgia to compete with them.

[Magilla_Gorilla]

If the Jackson trade didn't already - this speaks to what the Bears thought of FA options after Smith.

Thuney has been one of the best guards in football for nearly a decade. Was forced to moved out to LT towards the end of last season and played the last three games of the regular season and all of the post--season there.

Thats 32 million on Guards for next season.

Now lets get Center figured out.

[Magilla_Gorilla]

That is a lot of money invested at G is two days....people are going to be pissed when we role into training campe with Bates and Stromberg at C. If they go that route I hope the add one of the top C prospects like Jared Wilson from Georgia to compete with them.

Given how Ben Johnson talked about the Center position in recent interviews - I have to believe they are trying to get a veteran starter there. I don't know if they'll succeed, but I don't believe Johnson's plan is to go into the season with a rookie or inexperienced player there.

[wab]

That is a lot of money invested at G is two days....people are going to be pissed when we role into training campe with Bates and Stromberg at C. If they go that route I hope the add one of the top C prospects like Jared Wilson from Georgia to compete with them.

Given how Ben Johnson talked about the Center position in recent interviews - I have to believe they are trying to get a veteran starter there. I don't know if they'll succeed, but I don't believe Johnson's plan is to go into the season with a rookie or inexperienced player there.

I posted in the Jackson thread, but the prevailing thought amongst experts is that Jackson will stay at center. They feel like his run blocking prowess and smarts will be the reason.

[wab]

I didn't realize he got offensive player of the year votes. That's WILD.

[thunderspirit]

Given how Ben Johnson talked about the Center position in recent interviews - I have to believe they are trying to get a veteran starter there. I don't know if they'll succeed, but I don't believe Johnson's plan is to go into the season with a rookie or inexperienced player there.

I posted in the Jackson thread, but the prevailing thought amongst experts is that Jackson will stay at center. They feel like his run blocking prowess and smarts will be the reason.

I would hope that's a backup plan at center and not the starting plan. (I don't think much of Jackson beyond stopgap at C. But then I'm an idiot.)

[Moriarty]

Given how Ben Johnson talked about the Center position in recent interviews - I have to believe they are trying to get a veteran starter there. I don't know if they'll succeed, but I don't believe Johnson's plan is to go into the season with a rookie or inexperienced player there.

I posted in the Jackson thread, but the prevailing thought amongst experts is that Jackson will stay at center. They feel like his run blocking prowess and smarts will be the reason.

That would be super interesting.
IF he could do it well, it would make more strategic sense than spending big for 2 guards.

However, I'm really skeptical about the belief he can do it.

a) I saw incorrect info that he'd never played C before 2024 Rams. But that brief experience + 6 games as a Soph in college is all I see (post HS).
b) I don't know about college, but the 2024 Ram experience did not go well. I can't get over the fact that, even when he came back, they decided that they didn't want him on the field any more, even though there was no savings from benching him. And they benched him for rookie. A late round rookie. A late round rookie who graded out badly.

[dplank]

[WagonForce]

Yeah, at first glance this move looks insanely good to me.

I was hoping the Bears could bring in some bona fide interior lineman and 4 x Super Bowl champion, 4 x All Pro (twice on the first team), Joe Thuney definitely fits the bill.

I wonder how Caleb is feeling right now. Free agency hasn't even started yet, let alone the draft.

[southdakbearfan]

Anyone check on Heinz?

[wab]

Anyone check on Heinz?

Gonna assume he hates it.

[Shadow]

I like this trade. Fill a huge need and only cost a future 4, which is equal to a 2025 5th.
Could we still see Zeitler come in at RG?
Jones/ Thuney/ Jackson/ Zeitler/ Wright ?????

[HisRoyalSweetness]

I have to wonder why are the Chiefs letting an All Pro OG go for a 2026 R4 pick after their O-line just got demolished in the Super Bowl?

For $16m in 2025 are they so cap-strapped after tagging Smith and obviously looking to work out a deal that they couldn't figure out an extension for Thuney too?

I'm assuming so because Mahomes' cap hit is an enormous $66m! Kelce's 36, his production's begun to fall. and he's got a cap hit of $19.8m this season before hitting free agency. If I was the Chiefs I'd be looking to keep Thuney around over Kelce.

I'm just surprised there'd let a guy of Thuney's calibre go for such low compensation.

Given we've been considering 35 year old Kevin Zeitler as an option, a 32 year old Thuney seems like a steal assuming they can agree a deal for a couple of additional years past this season.