As we continue to look at some key veterans on the Chicago Bears roster and whether the Bears should sign them to an extension (Cash), cut ties with them sooner rather than later (Slash), or play out another year and see where the player is at (Stash), we shift back to the offensive line and look at Joe Thuney.
After the trade with the Carolina Panthers that netted Caleb Williams, at this point I think you would have to say that Joe Thuney is Ryan Poles’ best acquisition.
Thuney was acquired from the
Kansas City Chiefs for just a fourth-round pick, and he helped rejuvenate a line that had been towards the bottom of the league for years and transform it into a top 5 line. Not only that, he was the recipient of the first-ever Protector award, given to the league’s best offensive lineman. In short, he was awesome.
Joe Thuney: Cash
This article is probably going to be shorter than a lot of others in this series just because there isn’t much debate here. Thuney is under contract through the 2027 season. That makes Thuney a prime extension candidate after this season. The Bears should sit Thuney down after this season and ask him how much longer he wants to play.
There is no decision on the Bears’ side if they should keep Thuney or move on. They should keep him. The question is that Thuney will be 35 when this current contract expires, and you have to wonder how much longer he wants to play.
Thuney hasn’t said much about his future in football; it may be that he will play out his current contract and retire after 2027, or it may be that he wants to sign another deal and stay in Chicago for a few more years. Nobody really knows what Thuney wants to do except for Joe Thuney.
If Thuney wants to return, inking him to a 2-year extension after the 2026 season seems like a no-brainer for the Bears. Thuney has been remarkably durable, but if in his mid-to-late 30s his body starts breaking down and the contract doesn’t age well, you don’t worry about that one bit. It’s still worth the contract to try to keep him around, and like it was stated previously, there are no signs that Thuney is slowing down or becoming less durable.
There are plenty of offensive linemen that excel late into their careers. Trent Williams is still elite at 38. Lane Johnson is still elite at 36 (although you have to wonder if the body is starting to break down). There are plenty of examples. Heck, the Bears stabilized their line a few years ago when they brought in 40-year-old Jason Peters to play LT.
If Thuney wants to play, you pay him. At 34 or 35, Thuney isn’t going to be looking to make a massive contract. He will want fair market pay, and I expect negotiations would go pretty smoothly. Joe Thuney should be a Bear as long as Joe Thuney wants to play football. There really isn’t any other argument that holds a grain of salt.
