Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles has rewarded several in-house players with lucrative contract extensions this offseason, including cornerback Kyler Gordon and linebacker T.J. Edwards. So naturally there are questions about when Poles would do the same for guard Joe Thuney, who was acquired via trade during free agency.
During a pre-NFL draft press conference on Tuesday, general manager Ryan Poles told reporters that signing Thuney to a contract extension is a “priority” for the team. Obviously, Poles and company are going to be busy this week with the draft.
If Poles’ comments sound familiar, they should. He said the same thing about locking down Gordon long term, and a few weeks later the Bears inked the fourth-year cornerback to a three-year contract extension. So if Poles said it’s a priority, it is.
Thuney is entering the final year of his current deal, and given Chicago gave up a 2026 fourth-round pick to the Kansas City Chiefs, the expectation was always that the team intends to sign him to some kind of extension.
Thuney, a two-time First-Team All-Pro, three-time Pro Bowler and four-time Super Bowl winner, is one of the best guards in the entire NFL, and his presence will shore up the interior of the Bears’ offensive line. Thuney is an elite pass blocker, and he’s been the best pass-blocking guard, per Pro Football Focus, since 2021 with a 90.2 grade.
Chicago retooled their entire interior offensive line this offseason, also trading for guard Jonah Jackson and signing center Drew Dalman in free agency. Jackson signed a one-year extension to keep him in Chicago through 2027, and Dalman is also under contract for the next three years. The expectation would be a two-year extension to keep Thuney in line with his fellow interior linemen.
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