Bear Digest

Ryan Poles Tips Off Fates of Joe Thuney, Cole Kmet and D'Andre Swift

Would the Bears move Joe Thuney to tackle, think of cutting or trading Cole Kmet, D'Andre Swift, or DJ Moore? The Bears GM had some partial answers at Indy.
Gene Chamberlain|
Joe Thuney was called on to block at tackle instead of guard in the playoffs, but don't expect anything like this next year.
Joe Thuney was called on to block at tackle instead of guard in the playoffs, but don't expect anything like this next year. | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

In this story:

Chicago Bears

There are questions ahead for Ryan Poles and Ben Johnson when the draft arrives and even sooner in a few weeks during free agency.

Before any of those situations can be addressed, there is planning. The Bears will soon be addressing what their approach will be to key roster situations that must occur before anyone is signed during free agency or drafted.

One of the biggest issues facing them is at left tackle with Ozzy Trapilo's patellar tendon injury. Others ahead are what they'll do with players who have salaries that can be restructured—key players who can also be traded or cut because their contracts are mostly or entirely cash in terms of salary for the coming season.

Poles isn't revealing all the answers to his tough decisions ahead but did tip off a few directions they could go when he had a post-press conference talk with Chicago reporters at the combine.

The task of replacing Trapilo the same way they did last season in the playoffs does not sound like an option, mainly because it is going to be a longer-term situation. They moved Joe Thuney to left tackle against the Rams and he played an outstanding game, but they could be without Trapilo most or all of next season because patellar tendon injuries take nine to 12 months to get past. And Thuney sounds like he'll be at guard.

"I would say only in a pinch," Poles said about moving Thuney. "We like him at left guard. That’s where we like him to play next year."

A pinch obviously doesn't last all season, and Poles again called this injury to Trapilo a long-term deal.

"Yeah, he’ll miss most of the year, but we expect him to come back and heal from that," Poles said. "There’s a plan in place. I can’t give it a timeline or anything like that. I just don’t know.

"But yeah, we’re expecting him to be back and be himself. Pretty significant injury that he’s got to get through. But in terms of affecting his overall career or next year (2027), I don’t see that being an issue."

That doesn't say much for the 2026 season, though. Moving Darnell Wright isn't much of a possibility, either. It sounds like it's Theo Benedet, Kiran Amegadie, a draft pick or short-term free agent fill-in.

"I know we want to keep Darnell and Jonah (Jackson) together," Poles said. "We have a real cool right side (of the line).

"So then there’s draft. There’s free agency, some options in free agency, resigning your own and then you have Theo’s development. And we’ve yet to put a whole offseason together with Kiran. But he has shown promise at times. But a lot of different factors that can be difficult to figure out."

Another big decision ahead is DJ Moore's fate. He has the highest cap cost at $28.5 million, but last year had career lows of 50 catches and 682 yards. His contract can be restructured but if he isn't as essential in the passing game, then why would they want to extend the deal on into the future with guaranteed bonus money beyond trying to help this year's cap? They'd be hurting future attempts to sign players that way and that would include their necessary extension for Caleb Williams in the future, something Poles hinted strongly is coming.

"Yeah. I have to have conversations to see what, like I said, the best combination of players we can bring in," Poles said. "We want him here. We think highly of him. He's a great teammate. He has been productive pretty consistently over the last however many years he’s been here. So I have nothing but great things to say about him.

"But this is the time now where we have to look at all the different scenarios to see what can allow us to put the best team out there. And I’ve talked about this before. There are relationships there. There’s a lot there that make it really, really difficult. He’s a guy we want here. But we have to look at all the different scenarios."

Cole Kmet and D'Andre Swift fates

They also have to address running back D'Andre Swift and tight end Cole Kmet. They have contracts that can be restructured and there had been speculation they might be cut. It doesn't sound like it.

"I feel pretty good about the guys you just mentioned (Kmet and Swift) being here but again, there’s a lot more calls coming in, interest in these guys that we have to kind of sequence that out to see how it impacts our team," Poles said. "I talked a little bit about cost of replacement, what does that look like?

"So really this week is kind of, we know what we need to do, but any new, unique opportunities that might pop up are usually going to pop up here, and the we'll get back and kind of sort it all out and make decisions. But feel pretty good about those guys."

The Bears also have a problem on the defensive line with injuries that might keep edge possibilities Dayo Odeyingbo or Shemar Turner from being full strength, although Poles is thinking they'll be ready for training camp.

There is always restructuring to address end, Moore and other players but this requires paying players into the future.

"I don't know about, like, limited amount of restructures, but there's philosophical things that we believe in, in terms of not getting to this place where we're kicking the can down the road on a bunch of guys, and then at some point you got to pay that bill. And you don't want that to be the reason why you're not flexible and able to do unique things or take advantage of opportunities with your roster," Poles said.

There are limits on clearing cap space for them whether it's with their own players being restructured, or in terms of acquiring someone who has a big contract.

More Chicago Bears News

X: BearsOnSI

Loading recommendations... Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations

Published
Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.