Bear Digest

ESPN highlights one offseason move that stands out above the rest for Chicago Bears

Bears GM Ryan Poles was a busy guy during the offseason, but this move was his best, according to ESPN.
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The Chicago Bears were among the busiest teams in the league during the 2025 NFL offseason. General manager Ryan Poles wasted little time, acting quickly to hire Ben Johnson as head coach, rebuild the offensive line, and add pieces to the defense and skill positions on offense through free agency and the NFL draft.

But one move stood out as the best, according to a new ranking by ESPN of the top 50 NFL offseason moves: the trade for guard Joe Thuney.

Not only was it the best move that the Chicago Bears made, but it was ranked as the third-best offseason move in the entire league.

"A culture-setter in the offensive line room, Thuney upgrades a critical need for the Bears on the interior of their front," ESPN's Matt Bowen wrote. "With a pass block win rate of at least 98% over his past three seasons, Thuney is still viewed as one of the top guards in the league after a brief stint at left tackle for the Chiefs last season. And his presence will keep the pocket firm for second-year quarterback Caleb Williams."

Joe Thuney's contract extension means challenges for the Bears salary cap in the 2026 season.
Joe Thuney's contract extension means challenges for the Bears salary cap in the 2026 season. | Photo: Chicago Bears video

The biggest knock against Thuney -- if there is one -- is that he's a bit long in the tooth. He'll turn 33 years old in November, and as we all know, Father Time is undefeated.

But a player like Thuney, who relies more on technique and experience than raw athletic ability, he's aging like fine wine. Plus, as an interior offensive lineman, he can afford to lose a step (or even two) and still play at a high level.

And we're talking about Thuney going from a Hall of Fame level of play to, what, a regular old Pro Bowler? Yeah, the Bears will take that, especially after surrendering an NFL-worst 68 sacks in 2024.

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Bryan Perez
BRYAN PEREZ

Bryan Perez founded and operated Bears Talk, a Chicago sports blog. Prior to that, he covered the Bears for USA Today’s Bears Wire and NBC Sports Chicago. In addition to his Chicago Bears coverage, Perez is a respected member of NFL Draft media and was a past winner of The Huddle's Mock Draft competition. Bryan's past life includes time as a Northeast scout for the CFL's Ottawa Redblacks.

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