The Chicago Bears had quite the 2025 season, improving from 5-12 to 11-6 to become the NFC North champions and beat the Green Bay Packers in the playoffs.
While the end was crushing, it was a huge stepping stone for the future for the Bears, who made a number of key moves to rebuild the team last offseason under head coach Ben Johnson.
A big part of that? Rebuilding the offensive line, as the Bears signed center Drew Dalman and traded for guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson to make up the interior.
Thuney was a revelation in Chicago, earning first-team All-Pro honors for a third straight season in his age-31 campaign.
With the 2026 NFL Draft coming up, let’s revisit that Thuney trade and remember exactly what the Bears gave up in that deal.
Original terms of the Joe Thuney trade
- Chicago Bears receive: LG Joe Thuney
- Kansas City Chiefs receive: 2026 fourth-round pick (No. 125)
How did Joe Thuney perform for the Bears after his trade from the Chiefs?
Thuney was huge for the Bears last season, earning first-team All-Pro honors for the third straight year, while making his fourth straight Pro Bowl appearance.
He remained durable for the entire season, playing 17 games for the third straight year. That’s been a key part of his entire career, be it in New England, with Kansas City, or in Chicago.
With a strong interior offensive line, the Bears saw their run game take key steps, while their offense as a whole matured into one of the better groups in the NFL.
Most importantly, he was integral to the turnaround in Chicago that has fans with the most optimism about the franchise in 15 years.
Who won the Joe Thuney trade between the Bears and Chiefs?
This was a no-brainer for the Bears, who have absolutely gotten their return on a future fourth-round pick with Thuney’s play.
Not only did they see some strong on-field product for a very cheap price, but they’re also stocked with enough capital in the 2026 NFL Draft. They added another second-round pick in the D.J. Moore trade. They recouped a fourth-round pick in a draft-day trade with the Los Angeles Rams last offseason. And they’ve got five picks in the first four rounds of the draft.
Add in the fact that Thuney is on a very reasonable two-year, $35 million deal, and this was a slam-dunk trade from Ryan Poles and Co.
What did the Chiefs do with the pick from the Joe Thuney trade?
The pick from the Bears eventually became the 125th overall selection, but the Chiefs don’t have it anymore.
Kansas City ultimately used the 2026 fourth-round pick it acquired to trade up with the New England Patriots from No. 95 to No. 85 in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, taking cornerback Nohl Williams at the spot.
