Chicago Bears fans declare the offseason won, react to massive Joe Thuney trade

Chicago Bears fans are waking on Wednesday morning to the sight of an All-Pro offensive lineman joining the Bears offensive line.

Bears general manager Ryan Poles sent shockwaves throughout the NFL as he sent a 2026 fourth-round pick to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for All-Pro guard Joe Thuney. The trade will be made official upon the start of the new league year next week but Bears fans are already taking to social media to express their excitement.

Of course, Bears fans are no strangers to the team winning the offseason. As recently as last offseason, the Bears were the talk of the NFL after selecting Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze in the 2024 NFL Draft, signing running back D'Andre Swift in free agency, and trading for Pro-Bowl wide receiver Keenan Allen.

Of course, none of those moves addressed the evergreen need the Bears have had along the offensive. It's no surprise that with Ben Johnson's arrival as the team's head coach, the first two moves of consequence the Bears have made this offseason were to address the offensive line. In consecutive days, the Bears added their two new starting guards following the move for Jonah Jackson on Tuesday and Thuney's trade on Wednesday.

One of the bigger questions that remain for the Bears is what the team will do at the center position. Prior to the trades for Jackson and Thuney, there was an expectation that the Bears were going to target Atlanta Falcons free-agent center Drew Dalman. Considering the money involved with Jackson and Thuney, it's possible the Bears move away from Dalman being their primary target in free agency.

It's worth mentioning that Jackson was the center for the Los Angeles Rams in their opening game against the Detroit Lions last season but he is far from experienced at the position. Jackson has played mostly as a left guard throughout his NFL career, the same position Thuney has carved out his reputation as being one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL.

Thuney also provides the Bears with something they have desperately lacked: a true leader on the offensive line.

If the trades made on Tuesday and Wednesday prove one thing, Ben Johnson is now the leading voice in the building for the Bears. That should be great news for every Bears fan.