The Chicago Bears wasted no time improving at the guard position, trading for Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson. While head coach Ben Johnson is known for his flash, none of his offensive creativity would be possible without a strong offensive line in place.
Rather than dive into the free agency pool, Chicago opted to take the trade route to find their guards. That’s indicative of how Ryan Poles and company feel about the currently available players. At the same time, it’s hard to resist making a deal if true value is available.
Once Thuney and Jackson are officially on the roster, the next step will be getting them acclimated to the offense. Johnson has already confirmed that Thuney will be playing left guard while Jackson is at right guard, via Zack Pearson of 247Sports.
Ben Johnson confirms the #Bears plans is for Thuney at LG and Jackson at RG.
— Zack Pearson (@Zack_Pearson) March 12, 2025
How Jonah Jackson, Joe Thuney vastly improve Chicago Bears
Of the Bears additions to their offensive line, Jackson’s is the most controversial so far. He is costing Chicago nearly $18 million and is coming off of a 2024 campaign that saw him appear in just four games due to injury. When Jackson did return, he was eventually benched by the Los Angeles Rams.
However, the guard was never put in a position to succeed. For starters, Los Angeles had him playing center, an unnatural position. From there, the injury wiped away any chance Jackson had of finding his footing with the Rams. But one bad season doesn’t erase everything that makes Jackson great.
He made the Pro Bowl as a member of the Detroit Lions in 2021. Then, he was being coached by Ben Johnson. It’s fair to wonder if Jackson can truly return to his Pro Bowl heights. But playing in his natural position under a coach he has had success with certainly leads to optimism.
Thuney does not need much of an argument for why he is a strong addition. He is coming to Chicago with four Super Bowl titles to his name. Furthermore, he has been to the Pro Bowl thrice and is a two-time All-Pro. Those All-Pro seasons came in 2023 and 2024, proving that Thuney is still at the top of his game. His 79.9 grade from Pro Football Focus ranked 12/135 guards. Thuney’s 82 pass blocking grade ranking fifth/135 guards.
Alongside his work on the gridiron, Thuney will be tasked with being a leader for the Chicago Bears. Johnson wants to create a new culture in the Windy City. Having a trusted veteran who understands how to win championships is certainly a voice to lean on during that building process.
What Thuney, Jackson must fix
The easy answer is simply the pass and run game. And while not the most lofty of marks to hit, Chicago’s failure to execute in both environments in 2024 is why they were so eager to upgrade their offensive line.
Quarterback Caleb Williams was sacked a league-high 68 times as a rookie. Some of those came from him holding the ball too long. But Williams took 16 more sacks than any other quarterback in the NFL. Johnson is trying to mold the gunslinger into the face of the Bears. But he can’t do that on his back. Chicago’s new look offensive line will be judged first and foremost by how many sacks they allow.
But the Bears must do a better job of generating offense on the ground. Chicago finished 2024 ranked 25th in rushing offense, averaging 102 yards per game. Whether or not they bring in a running mate for D’Andre Swift, the Bears must find a way to get up the rankings to have a truly dynamic offense. It’s important to note that under Johnson in 2024, the Lions finished sixth in rushing, averaging 146.4 yards per game.
Offensive lineman truly have the toughest job. When they do well, they get no praise. And yet when they struggle, the spotlight has never been brighter. But for Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson, the objective is clear.
The Chicago Bears made it their mission to upgrade their offensive line and identified the two guards as their best options. They’ll be tasked with fostering the first version of Johnson’s offense in Chicago. But as they continue building out their roster, the Bears are confident their current configuration will be a major upgrade from Williams’ rookie year.
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