Last month, the Chicago Bears traded for Joe Thuney from the Kansas City Chiefs. It was a move many saw as mutually beneficial. Kansas City unloaded a large contract they could no longer afford, while Chicago got one of the best guards in the NFL. There was one lingering concern. Thuney is in the last year of his deal. He needs an extension. Most felt the Bears would move to give him one, probably along the lines of two years so that it would line up with Caleb Williams’ rookie deal.
However, Jeff Hughes of Da Bears Blog recently poked some holes in that idea. He revealed the Bears might have serious interest in North Dakota State standout Grey Zabel going into the draft, believing he has the makings of a standout guard. This is somewhat puzzling since they already appear set at both spots with Thuney and Jonah Jackson. It was hinted strongly that one of them would likely be gone by next year, and since Jackson just signed an extension, it isn’t difficult to put two and two together.
Is he in play for the Bears? Not at the top of round one, of course, but potentially at the top of the second round. The Bears wouldn’t need Zabel to start in September; he’d provide depth and protection for a veteran unit, with a starting spot all but guaranteed at the start of 2026…
…Texted a scout about Zabel and got this response: “Not as polished a prospect as some suggest. But our coaching staff loves tough guys and that’s what he is.”
Moving on from Joe Thuney wouldn’t be shocking.
After all, the Bears have already shown a willingness to do this. Last year, they traded a 4th round pick to the Los Angeles Chargers for wide receiver Keenan Allen. They started him for that season and then let him walk in free agency, not entertaining the idea of keeping him. This suggests they always saw him as a quality rental for one season, with plans to move forward with Rome Odunze as the primary receiver alongside D.J. Moore. It isn’t crazy to believe they may plan to employ the same strategy with Thuney.
Nobody disputes that he is still an excellent blocker. The problem is he turns 33 this year. Chicago may not want to pay upwards of $20 million per year for his services, knowing there is a potential drop-off looming in the near future. Instead, they likely hope he can stabilize the interior protection long enough for them to find a long-term solution. Somebody like Zabel or Tyler Booker in the 2nd round would make loads of sense. Some fans won’t like giving up 4th round picks for one-year solutions, but the reality is most selections in that range never pan out anyway.
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