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The Chicago Bears are arguably the most improved team in the NFL heading into training camp. Chicago added Ben Johnson at head coach and made a flurry of moves to upgrade the roster. One Bears player just got his name included in an exclusive list.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler ranked the best interior offensive linemen in the NFL in his most recent article. Fowler polled NFL scouts, coaches, and executives to come up with his ranking list.
Bears fans will be pleased to learn that newcomer Joe Thuney cracked the top 10, coming in sixth place.
The Bears traded for Thuney, as well as guard Jonah Jackson, right at the start of NFL free agency this spring.
Thuney is an elite pass protector whose 96.4% pass block win rate is tied for first in the NFL among guards. He is also a versatile offensive linemen, proving that he can play at left tackle last year with the Chiefs.
“Complete package: Speed, athletic ability, hand placement, toughness, instincts,” an AFC executive said. “I think power is a slight deficiency. Versatility isn’t.”
Coaches also praised Thuney for his incredible grip strength. Once he gets his paws on a defensive player, they aren’t going anywhere.
“All technique, instincts and smarts with Joe,” a separate AFC executive said. “Physical skills are on the decline.”
If Thuney continues to play at a high level, it could unlock Ben Johnson’s new-look Bears offense in 2025.
ESPN may like the Joe Thuney trade, but they are not fans of a different Bears offseason move.
Seth Walder criticized the Bears for signing veteran defensive lineman Grady Jarrett to a three-year contract worth $43.5 million in free agency. Walder called the move “awful value” in his critique.
“On the flip side, the Jarrett deal was awful value,” Walder wrote. “They gave him a three-year contract averaging $14.25 million with $28.4 million fully guaranteed, per Roster Management System. That includes a full guarantee on his 2026 base salary when Jarrett, who has been steadily declining, will be 33. Jarrett’s pass rush win rate at defensive tackle has dropped every season from 2019 (22%) to 2024 (9%), and he suffered a torn ACL in 2023.”
The sticking point here is the contract value. Nobody seems to be complaining that Jarrett is not a talented player. But his large contract, with one fully guaranteed season in the future, is certainly questionable.
Bears fans, and the national media, will certainly change their tune if Chicago takes a big leap forward this fall.
The post Where ESPN ranks Bears guard Joe Thuney after Chiefs trade appeared first on ClutchPoints.
