Chiefs trade All-Pro Joe Thuney to Bears, clear cap space for future moves

St. Joseph, Mo. -- The Kansas City Chiefs have made their first major move of the offseason: trading veteran left guard Joe Thuney to the Chicago Bears in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The deal, which cannot be made official until the new league year begins on March 12, signals a significant and strategic shift for a team trying to get back to the Super Bowl.

Thuney, 32, has been one of the most reliable and productive linemen in the NFL, as showcased by his accolades. He’s earned four All-Pro honors and three consecutive Pro Bowl selections. Last season, he was voted team MVP by his teammates and won the Derrick Thomas Award after stepping in at left tackle.

Since signing a five-year, $80 million deal with the Chiefs in 2021, Thuney has been a cornerstone of the offensive front, missing just two games over nine seasons. He leaves Kansas City with two Super Bowl rings, having played a key role in protecting quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

With the Chiefs carrying massive contracts for Mahomes ($66.3 million cap hit in 2025) and defensive tackle Chris Jones ($34.8 million), keeping Thuney on a salary he knew he deserved was becoming difficult. His $15.5 million base salary for 2025 was set to be one of the largest on the roster, and moving on from him clears approximately $16 million in cap space ahead of free agency.

This also comes just one day after the Chiefs used the franchise tag on right guard Trey Smith, locking him into a one-year salary projected at $23.4 million, making him the highest-paid guard in the league. With Smith and center Creed Humphrey in line for significant extensions, the Chiefs were faced with an either-or decision. You could keep the younger core intact or continue paying premium prices for a trio of interior linemen. 

The trade doesn’t make Kansas City better today, but it does help protect the championship window that Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid have built. By gaining cap relief and draft capital for Thuney, rather than letting him leave in free agency next year for nothing, general manager Brett Veach creates room to address other pressing needs across the roster.

Replacing a player like Thuney won’t come easily. The Chiefs could look internally, with options like Kingsley Suamataia and Hunter Nourzad, though those picks will likely come with some growing pains.