Chicago Bears offensive lineman named best veteran in NFC North

While the Chicago Bears have plenty of goals they want to accomplish during head coach Ben Johnson’s tenure, getting back atop the NFC North is near the top of the list. One of the Bears’ key offseason additions should play a major role in helping Chicago strive for the division crown.

Quarterback Caleb Williams was sacked a league-high 68 times during his rookie campaign. To help remedy the issue, the Bears acquired left guard Joe Thuney in a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs. Thuney is coming to Chicago with plenty of accolades, namely four Super Bowl titles. Recently agreeing to a two-year contract extension, Thuney will now be a key part of Williams’ blocking scheme for the foreseeable future.

Adding a player of Thuney’s caliber proved the Bears were ready to compete. Dalton Wasserman of Pro Football Focus called the guard the 11th-best player in football over the age of 30. No other players in the NFC North came before him. In fact, Thuney was the only player to crack the entire top-30.

“During his four seasons in Kansas City, Thuney earned the highest pass-blocking grade among qualified guards,” Wasserman said. “Although his overall grade dipped slightly in 2024 due to an extended stretch at left tackle, his 90.4 pass-blocking grade as a guard would have led the NFL by a wide margin. That’s good news for his new quarterback, Caleb Williams, heading into Year 2.”

Joe Thuney bolsters Chicago Bears’ NFC North hopes 

Thuney can’t do it all at left tackle, but his arrival sent a fiery message to the rest of the NFC North. He is coming to Chicago off of three-straight Pro Bowl appearances and his first All-Pro nomination in 2024. Furthermore, Thuney ranked 12/136 guards with a 79.9 grade in his final season with the Chiefs. He excelled in pass blocking, ranking fifth with his 82 grade.

The guard’s work on the field is why the Bears ultimately signed him to a $35 million extension. However, his leadership will be crucial as Chicago builds their next foundation. Thuney has seen the NFL mountaintops as a member of the Chiefs and New England Patriots. Johnson is only a first-year head coach while Williams is entering his sophomore campaign. If either, or anyone on the Bears, gets lost, Thuney will be able to help them navigate choppy waters.

In terms of competing for the NFC North, Chicago hasn’t been in the running for over half a decade. The last time the franchise won the division was 2018. Furthermore, the Bears haven’t made the playoffs since 2020 and haven’t won a playoff game since 2010. While the expectations are through the roof, Thuney is walking into a much different situation than he was in with the Chiefs.

Still, Thuney is locked into what the Bears are building, which is why he signed his extension. If he continues playing at an All-Pro level, Chicago will have turned one of their biggest weaknesses into a key strength. The rest of the NFC North would be put on red alert.