On Wednesday, The Chicago Bears and general manager Ryan Poles significantly upgraded the team’s offensive line with the trade for All-Pro offensive guard Joe Thuney.
The Thuney trade came one day after Poles traded a sixth-round draft selection to the Los Angeles Rams for former Pro Bowl guard, Jonah Jackson.
The multiple acquisitions of veteran and qualified linemen demonstrate how Chicago’s general manager isn’t looking to build the team’s offensive line through the draft, in order to maximize quarterback Caleb Williams’ rookie contract to win immediately.
Ryan Poles is relying on proven veteran linemen
With the hiring of new head coach Ben Johnson, along with the 2024 Bears coming off arguably one of the worst offensive seasons in recent memory, the main offseason focus this year has been on overhauling the offensive line.
Poles oversaw an offensive line that was plagued by consistent injuries and inconsistent quality of play, which led to Williams being the most sacked quarterback in the NFL. Despite having quality starting-level tackles in Darnell Wright and Braxton Jones, Ryan Poles was expected to have multiple interior linemen via free agency and the 2025 NFL Draft.
Despite the 2025 free agency period not starting until next Monday afternoon, Poles has added two high-level linemen in Thuney and Jackson, with Chicago likely to pursue free agent center Drew Dalman intensely.
If the team signs Dalman, it will give the Bears one of the best offensive lines in the league, something that is extremely impressive given that the overhaul transpired in one offseason and before the draft.
The addition of three starting interior linemen via trades and free agency also will reflect Ryan Poles’ reluctance to rely on the draft to build his starting offensive line, despite having three picks in the first 41 selections of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Poles’ desire to rely on proven veteran talent to reconstruct Chicago’s offensive line shows that he may want to avoid risking delayed or hindered offensive production due to rookie offensive linemen struggling with growth and development.
Adding Thuney and Jackson, along with potentially Dalman would likely ensure that no rookie lineman, if drafted, doesn’t start at the beginning of the 2025 season. Added to the new offensive scheme implemented by Johnson, Ryan Poles would further guard against rookie mistakes, as the three veterans likely already have experience with the scheme or are capable of learning the playbook in a fast manner.
Another avenue Poles could be looking to pursue by building up Chicago’s offensive line with veterans instead of rookies, is to line up short-term contracts to match that with the end of Williams’ rookie contract. Both Thuney and Jackson are in their 30s and have one year remaining on their current contracts, with the Bears likely re-signing the two interior guards to short-term contract extensions.
Poles’ goal could be to sign the veterans to contract extensions that likely come off the books when Williams is potentially re-signed to a record-breaking extension, which is the norm for elite-level quarterbacks.
Williams’ rookie contract is key to how Poles builds the offensive line as it appears that he wants the team to win a Super Bowl within the next three seasons before the end of the rookie contract in 2029. Having three solid interior linemen over the next two to three years allows Johnson to get the most out of Williams at the quarterback positions, without having to worry about the offensive line being a recurring issue.
The veteran presence also allows for Poles to identify offensive lineman prospects in the draft over the next few years, and enable them to be gradually worked into Chicago’s offense without risking development due to needing to play immediately.
Poles has now provided the Chicago Bears Bears with flexibility
The trading for multiple veteran offensive linemen has also given Ryan Poles an unexpected level of flexibility before the start of free agency and the 2025 NFL Draft. Although signing Dalman appears to be the top priority during free agency, having only one starting position on the offensive line to address now, enables Chicago to focus more resources on defensive and skill position needs.
Before the trades, Ryan Poles was expected to spend over 100 million dollars to sign free agent All-Pro offensive guard Trey Smith, who was franchise tagged by the Kansas City Chiefs and would have taken up a significant amount of Chicago’s available salary cap space.
Following the trades for Thuney and Jackson, Chicago still has over 51 million in salary cap space, whereas before they had nearly 80 million. With the healthy amount of cap space left, Poles could look to add a starting defensive end to pair with Pro Bowl edge-rusher Montez Sweat or sign a veteran running back who could fit Johnson’s offensive scheme.
Had the team signed Smith to an elite-level contract, addressing multiple positions via free agency would be almost impossible for Ryan Poles.
Depending on what transpires in free agency or if Poles makes any more trades, the Bears could potentially have utmost flexibility for the Draft where they could select the best player available instead of having to focus on a position of need.
Before the trades, it was assumed that Chicago would utilize the tenth overall selection on an offensive guard or tackle, along with using a few of their first four picks on offensive linemen. Now, Ryan Poles can focus on any player available, including Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty or Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham, instead of having to focus on an offensive lineman.
Ryan Poles has done an impressive job over the past week following the spirit-breaking news that the Chiefs tagged Smith. Since then, Chicago’s general manager has done a terrific job of rebuilding the offensive line as quickly as possible with the recent trades and the potential signing of Dalman.
It is apparent that Poles’ goal is to allow the Bears to win with Williams and Johnson as fast as possible over the short-term future without being put at risk by inexperienced offensive linemen.
