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Chicago Bears News & Rumors

Chiefs To Trade G Joe Thuney To Bears

March 5th, 2025 at 11:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

Minutes after a report indicating the Chiefs were exploring a Joe Thuney trade surfaced, the Bears are expected to swoop in. Chicago is on track to land the All-Pro guard from Kansas City, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports.

This will be the second straight day the Bears will have reached a trade agreement involving a guard, with the team agreeing to obtain Jonah Jackson from the Rams on Tuesday. Chicago GM Ryan Poles was in Kansas City when the Chiefs signed Thuney in 2021.

The Bears are rumored to be sending a fourth-round pick to the Chiefs, Rapoport adds. It will be a 2026 fourth exchanged, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. This move will create $16MM in cap space for the Chiefs while leaving them with $10.7MM in dead money. Moving $16MM off the Chiefs’ books will slide them closer to cap compliance, though they entered Wednesday more than $18MM over.

Poles’ team was also mentioned as a potential destination for Trey Smith, but the Chiefs kept the younger of their two Pro Bowl guards via the franchise tag. Chicago will take Thuney, who just completed his age-32 season. One season remains on Thuney’s five-year, $80MM contract. Thuney is due a $15.5MM base salary in 2025; Jackson’s Rams-designed contract calls for a $9MM 2025 base.

Coming off back-to-back first-team All-Pro seasons, Thuney has started all 146 games he has played. The ex-Patriots third-round pick has four Super Bowl rings. A bid for a fifth did not go well, as the Chiefs played Thuney at left tackle during a blowout loss to the Eagles, but he has been one of the league’s best guards for many years.

In addition to Thuney’s two first-team honors, he has two second-team All-Pro accolades on his resume. Kansas City overhauled its O-line after the Buccaneers battered Patrick Mahomes in Super Bowl LV, which featured the team missing both its starting tackles. The Chiefs acquired Thuney, Smith, Orlando Brown Jr. and Creed Humphrey during the 2021 offseason. That quartet helped them win Super Bowl LVII, with the Thuney-Humphrey-Smith trio being in place for the AFC West superpower’s past two Super Bowl trips as well.

The Chiefs gave Humphrey a center-record extension last year and have right tackle Jawaan Taylor locked in for the 2025 season. Even though the latter has not played especially well in Kansas City, he was one of the 2023 free agent market’s top pieces. That allowed him to a secure a contact that guaranteed his 2025 base salary by March 2024. The Chiefs now have Smith tied to a $23.2MM franchise tag and are pursuing a true left tackle. More work will need to be done to reach cap compliance and carve out spending room, and the team will part with Thuney on the way.

The Bears whiffed on their Nate Davis signing in 2023, and the team has Teven Jenkins days from free agency. Although Jenkins made a push for a Bears extension last year, it appears the former second-round pick will head elsewhere. This trade also comes a year after the Bears acquired Ryan Bates from the Bills, who had previously matched a Bears RFA offer sheet for the veteran guard. With Ben Johnson coming in, his team will use an ex-Lion and a decorated AFC blocker at guard in 2025.

Chicago still has tackle starters Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright under contract, but center Coleman Shelton is back on track for free agency. More work may remain for the Bears, who are throwing resources at protecting Caleb Williams in 2025. Williams took an NFL-high 68 sacks last season. That total ranks in the top five over the past 15 NFL seasons. While the team traded for two pricey guards, the moves have only cost Day 3 picks.

One of the players the Chiefs tried at left tackle before moving Thuney over, Kingsley Suamataia looks likely to have a shot to replace him at LG. A position change may be on tap for the 2024 second-round tackle, Rapoport adds. The Chiefs benched Suamataia in Week 2, with Thuney eventually proving a more reliable option — before Super Bowl LIX — at LT. Three yeras remain on Suamataia’s rookie contract.

RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/5/25

March 5th, 2025 at 8:49pm CST by Ely Allen

More teams made tender/non-tender decisions on restricted and exclusive rights free agents today. Here are the latest updates:

RFAs

Non-tendered:

Fraboni has served as the Broncos’ primary long snapper for each of the past two seasons, playing in all 17 games of each year as well as this year’s playoff contest. Denver will have until next Wednesday to keep him from hitting the market if they intend to retain him.

ERFAs

Tendered: 

The Broncos tendered all five of their exclusive rights free agents today. The Packers made an easy decision to retain Anderson, who started two games this year and recorded his first career interception.

Chiefs Discussing Joe Thuney Trade; Bears Among Interested Teams

March 5th, 2025 at 8:16am CST by Sam Robinson

The Chiefs were one of two teams to use the franchise tag this year, cuffing fifth-year guard Trey Smith. The team has barely a week to move under the salary cap. A route being explored appears to be a trade of their more experienced starting guard.

Kansas City is discussing Joe Thuney in trades, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reports. Thuney is heading into the final year of his contract and coming off back-to-back first-team All-Pro seasons. The Bears, who traded for Jonah Jackson on Tuesday, are among the interested teams, Russini adds.

As of Wednesday morning, the Chiefs are more than $18MM over the cap. While the three-time reigning AFC champions will need to prepare to lose some other free agents — Nick Bolton and Justin Reid perhaps among them — they will at least need to move under the cap and carve out some spending room to address other priorities. Left tackle is believed to be a place where the Chiefs are investigating, with Thuney’s final game of the season exposing him as overmatched while moonlighting there.

Smith is going into his age-26 season; Thuney will turn 33 in November. Swapping out an older guard’s salary for their younger guard standout is logical, even if Thuney has proven to be one of the best players at his position. Thuney, who also has two second-team All-Pro nods on his resume, would stand to attract interest. He is entering the final season of a five-year, $80MM contract; no guaranteed money remains on the deal.

Thuney is due a $15.5MM base salary in 2025 and will be set to carry a $26.97MM cap number. An acquiring team could reduce that via an extension, even if Thuney is moving close to his mid-30s. The nine-year veteran has started all 146 games he has played and has collected four Super Bowl rings. Thuney did not start for the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII, and while he endured a tough night against the Eagles last month, he was at his LG spot when the Chiefs beat them to win Super Bowl LVII.

The Bears have reunited Ben Johnson with Jackson, a four-year Lions starter. A move for Thuney would mark a reunion for GM Ryan Poles, who was with the Chiefs when they signed Thuney in 2021. As the Chiefs have paid Creed Humphrey and have Jawaan Taylor locked into a 2025 salary, they have put their most accomplished O-lineman on the trade block. The Bears used Teven Jenkins and Matt Pryor as their primary guards last season. A three-year Bears guard starter, Jenkins appears likely to leave in free agency next week.

Rams, Bears Agree To Jonah Jackson Trade

March 4th, 2025 at 11:03pm CST by Adam La Rose

Jonah Jackson played only one season with the Rams, and his time in Los Angeles is set to come to an end. A trade agreement is in place which will see the veteran offensive lineman join the Bears.

Chicago is set to send Los Angeles a 2025 sixth-round pick in exchange for Jackson, ESPN’s Courtney Cronin reports. This deal will allow for a reunion between Jackson and Bears head coach Ben Johnson. The pair previously worked together in Detroit.

Expectations were high upon arrival for Jackson when he inked a three-year, $51MM free agent deal last spring. The former Pro Bowler was a key figure in the team’s efforts to shore up the interior of its offensive line. After seeing time at guard and center (while also dealing with a shoulder injury), though, Jackson was benched midway through the campaign. To no surprise, he was recently granted permission to seek a trade.

Jackson has a 2025 cap hit of $17.5MM for 2025, a figure which hindered his market and helps explain the limited return in the trade (which can become official as early as next week when the new league year begins). The Bears will take on the remainder of his compensation, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic reports. With no financial adjustments taking place, Jackson will be owed a $9MM base salary next season; he is also due an $8.5MM roster bonus next week.

The Bears’ offensive line has faced question marks at every spot other than right tackle this offseason. The interior of the unit in particular has often been named as the subject of interest from Chicago. Prior to the news of this deal, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler wrote the Bears were expected to make at least one addition along the interior of the O-line during free agency. It will be interesting to see if that will still be the case in the wake of this Jackson addition.

Chicago entered Tuesday with roughly $79MM in cap space, so there will still be resources to make a notable splash on the open market. The Bears could, of course, also look to retain one or more of pending free agents Teven Jenkins, Coleman Shelton and Matt Pryor as part of their plans up front. In any case, Jackson will be tasked with occupying a first-team role on his new team. The 28-year-old has experience at center, but for much of his career he has operated at left guard.

Jackson has started all 57 of his career games, and on two occasions he has surpassed 1,000 snaps in a season. If the Ohio State product can remain available during the year and provide consistent play wherever he winds up playing, he will prove to be an effective addition for the Bears.

RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/3/25

March 4th, 2025 at 9:37pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

More teams made tender/non-tender decisions on restricted and exclusive rights free agents today. Here are the latest updates:

RFAs

Non-tendered: 

Despite 48 appearances, 19 starts, and 1,794 total snaps over the last three years, the Bears will not tender Sanborn, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. While not considered a starting defender, Sanborn could draw interest in free agency as a backup linebacker and core special teams contributor.

ERFAs

Tendered: 

Non-tendered:

Hoffman started the Cowboys’ last seven games of the 2024 season after Zack Martin went down for the season. He primarily played right guard, though he played 109 snaps at center and 19 at left guard, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Martin retired last month, so Hoffman will likely compete for a starting role in 2025 while earning $1.1MM.

Ashton Jeanty Plans To Visit Cowboys, Bears

March 1st, 2025 at 9:14pm CST by Adam La Rose

Attention for all NFL prospects will soon turn away from the Combine to the next step in the pre-draft process. In the case of top running back Ashton Jeanty, he will draw considerable interest over the coming weeks.

Jeanty plans to take top-30 visits with the Cowboys and Bears, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports. It comes as no surprise Dallas is among the teams which intends to host the Boise State standout. Jeanty himself said in November he would welcome the opportunity to play for his hometown team.

The Cowboys elected to attempt a committee approach in 2024 after allowing Tony Pollard to depart in free agency. A reunion with Ezekiel Elliott did not work as planned, although Rico Dowdle topped 1,000 rushing yards by handling by far the heaviest workload of his career. After Dallas ranked just 27th in the NFL in production on the ground, though, adding a new top back (especially if Dowdle departs in free agency) is an obvious goal, something which could come as early as the 12th overall pick in the draft.

The Bears (owners of the No. 10 selection) were among the numerous teams which made a splash on the veteran market last offseason. D’Andre Swift inked a three-year, $24MM deal in free agency and handled a career-high 295 touches during his debut Chicago campaign. The former Lion and Eagle’s base salary for 2025 ($7.93MM) will be guaranteed in full by March 17, so he will be counted on to remain a central figure in the Bears’ offense next year.

Chicago traded away Khalil Herbert midway through the 2024 season, while Travis Homer and Darrynton Evans are pending free agents. The team could therefore look to April’s draft to add depth behind Swift and Roschon Johnson. The 2025 class is lauded for its crop of running backs, however, so the Bears (and others) could wait until Day 2 or 3 and find impact players at the position.

Jeanty is seen as a first-round candidate based on his massive output during his time with the Broncos. His 2,601 rushing yards and 30 total touchdowns in 2024 alone helped him earn a number of accolades, including an All-American nod and the Maxwell Award. The Heisman runner-up did not take part in on-field drills at the Combine, but he will do so at Boise State’s Pro Day. As the lead-in to the draft continues, visits with several other teams will no doubt be arranged.

NFC Staff Updates: Loeffler, Packers, Bears

February 28th, 2025 at 10:56pm CST by Ely Allen

The Super Bowl champion Eagles have brought on a former collegiate staffer to help fill out their pillaged coaching staff.

After watching quarterbacks coach Doug Nussmeier follow offensive coordinator Kellen Moore to New Orleans, Philadelphia has brought in Scot Loeffler to fill Nussmeier’s old position. The report came from Bowling Green State University, where Loeffler had spent the past six years as head coach of the Falcons. His overall record with the team was 27-41, though he appeared to lead the team in the right direction, securing berths in three straight bowl games before his departure.

Loeffler took a passing offensive that typically ranked in the 120’s out of 134 collegiate teams and helped them to finish as the 48th-best passing offense in the FBS this season.

Here are couple other staff updates from around the NFC:

  • The Packers will lose coaching assistant Myles White to the collegiate ranks, according to ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg. White, who joined the team just last year after roles as wide receivers coach at Stephen F. Austin and Miami (OH), will return to college coaching as the pass game coordinator/wide receivers coach for the Orange at Syracuse.
  • Lastly, in front office news, Matt Feinstein was named the new vice president of football administration for the Bears. His appointment comes via promotion after Feinstein spent the past three years as director of football administration for Chicago. Before his time with the Bears, Feinstein spent seven years on the NFL’s Management Council, serving part of that time as a director within labor relations. The Management Council serves as the league’s primary council of governance.

Bears Eyeing Multiple Edge Rush Additions?

February 27th, 2025 at 2:06pm CST by Adam La Rose

Having made DeMarcus Walker one of their cap casualties, the Bears could stand to add in the edge rush department. When asked about the position at the Combine, general manager Ryan Poles left the door open to making moves on the veteran market as well as early in the draft.

“There’s a strategy to that,” Poles said (via ESPN’s Courtney Cronin). “I would probably argue and say if you get a good pass rusher [in March] and you draft a pass rusher, you can’t have enough good ones. You want to see how you could put the puzzle together where you can kind of fill all the needs perfectly. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn’t.”

The Bears’ pass rush is of course centered on 2023 trade acquisition Montez Sweat, but finding an effective complement remains a key organizational priority. The Bears were linked to a late-offseason EDGE addition last offseason, and they ultimately worked out a trade with the Seahawks for Darrell Taylor in August to provide depth. Taylor (who posted three sacks in a part-time role) is a pending free agent, and his departure would create another vacancy for Poles to fill in the near future.

Chicago is among the league leaders in terms of projected 2025 cap space, and a higher-than-expected jump in the cap ceiling could allow for a lucrative addition. The Bears have Sweat on to a $24.5MM-per-year deal through 2027, and 2024 fifth-rounder Austin Booker is attached to his rookie contract for another three years. The latter logged a 27% snap share last year, and he could be in line for an increased workload moving forward.

Even if that is the case, though, one or more notable moves could be coming in the Bears’ case. Myles Garrett has made it clear he wants a trade from the Browns, although Cleveland has not shown a willingness to move him yet. Fellow veteran Harold Landry, meanwhile, has received permission to seek a trade from the Titans. The 2025 draft class is also seen as being deep along the defensive interior and on the edge, so Chicago could add as early as the 10th overall pick. The Bears have eight total selections, and even if an experienced pass rusher were to be added it would not come as a surprise if at least one of those were to be used at the position as well.

Jason Peters Expected To Retire, Join Seahawks’ Staff

February 25th, 2025 at 1:49pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jason Peters was unable to see any game action during his age-42 season, but the decorated veteran was still in the NFL as a member of the Seahawks’ practice squad. His next gig is not expected to be as a player, which stands to bring an end to one of this era’s best O-line careers.

The Seahawks are hiring Peters to a full-time staff position, GM John Schneider said, with the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta indicating the 21-year veteran’s title will come under the player-engagement umbrella. But Peters will work with the Seahawks’ O-linemen. While this would not slam the door on an emergency return, ESPN’s Adam Schefter adds a retirement is expected. Peters turned 43 in January.

Although Peters only saw game action in 19 seasons, he was in the league for 21. He missed the 2012 season due to two Achilles ruptures and did not move up to Seattle’s active roster in 2024. Regardless, Peters is expected to walk away after playing in 248 games. While 61 players reside above Peters on the all-time games-played list, few of them are offensive linemen. Among pure O-linemen, only four (Bruce Matthews, Ray Brown, Jackie Slater and Mike Kenn) played in more games. Peters will be expected to join Slater and Matthews in the Hall of Fame.

A nine-time Pro Bowler, Peters forged a Canton path despite being passed over in the 2004 draft. The former Bills UDFA will be best remembered for his time with the Eagles, whom he helped win a Super Bowl. Peters did not play in Super Bowl LII, having suffered ACL and MCL tears, but opened that season as the team’s left tackle starter. Peters booked both his first-team All-Pro nods (2011, 2013) with Philly and made his final Pro Bowl (2016) during Carson Wentz‘s rookie season.

The Eagles initially acquired Peters in 2009, Donovan McNabb‘s final season. Peters is experienced enough he signed with the Bills during Drew Bledsoe‘s time as the team’s starting QB. Peters moved into Buffalo’s starting lineup at right tackle in 2005. His first full season as a left tackle, 2007, produced a second-team All-Pro honor. Peters had signed a midlevel extension — a four-year, $16.1MM deal — in 2006, but as he picked up a second All-Pro accolade, an impasse on a third contract formed.

Peters did not report to Bills training camp on time in 2008, and while he eventually showed, a trade commenced after that season. The Eagles traded first-, fourth- and sixth-round picks to the Bills for Peters, who landed a four-year extension worth $51.45MM before his first Philadelphia season. Peters then spent the next 12 seasons with the Eagles, agreeing to four more contracts to stay with the team. Peters helped Michael Vick to the Pro Bowl, and joined future Hall of Famer Jason Kelce and then-rookie Lane Johnson in boosting LeSean McCoy to the 2013 rushing title. As the Eagles retooled around Wentz, they had Peters as an upper-crust blindside blocker.

Peters’ final seasons took on an Adrian Peterson-like arc, as the veteran blocker stopped through three teams in three years. The Bears used him as an emergency LT, as Teven Jenkins sustained a back injury before the 2021 season. After 15 starts for that Bears squad, Peters came to Dallas after Tyron Smith‘s season-defining hamstring injury sustained in training camp. Working more in a backup capacity (including some guard time) that year, Peters made his last stop in Seattle. He played in eight games and made two starts for a Seahawks team dealing with RT Abraham Lucas‘ injury trouble.

No pure NFL O-lineman has seen action in a 21st season, but Peters came closest. The Seahawks signed him to their practice squad in October, as Lucas and veteran George Fant dealt with injuries, doing so despite having changed coaching staffs. The Mike Macdonald-led group will keep the veteran around as a mentor.

If this is it for Peters, he will retire with nine Pro Bowl invites and six All-Pro honors. He joined Smith as an All-Decade-teamer for the 2010s. He earned $119.9MM during his 21-year run. It will be interesting to see if the Arkansas alum moves up the coaching ladder in the coming years.

Bears Cut Gerald Everett, DeMarcus Walker

February 21st, 2025 at 2:26pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Bears are releasing tight end Gerald Everett (per ESPN’s Adam Schefter) and defensive end DeMarcus Walker (per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo). The team has confirmed the moves via social media.

Everett’s release saves $5.5MM against the Bears’ 2025 salary cap with $1MM in dead money. Cutting Walker saves an additional $5.25MM with just under $700k in dead money. Chicago entered the day with $69MM in cap space, per OverTheCap, and now has more than $80MM ahead of free agency next month.

The Bears were expected to move on from Everett after he underperformed the two-year, $12MM deal he signed last offseason. He recorded just eight catches for 36 yards and zero touchdowns – all career-lows – despite appearing in all 17 regular-season games. The eight-year veteran will now join plethora of experienced tight ends in free agency and may have to take a contract close to the veteran minimum to rebuild his value next season.

Walker, however, gave the Bears a solid return on the three-year, $21MM deal he signed in 2023. He appeared in all 34 games (29 starts) in the last two seasons with seven sacks and 16 tackles for loss. His consistent production could have justified his $5.9MM cap hit in 2025, but the Bears opted to move on from the 30-year-old as one of their first moves under new head coach Ben Johnson. Walker will likely draw interest in free agency from teams looking for pass-rushing depth.

Both players have bounced around the league, but each has been productive at points. The Bears were Everett’s fourth team, while they were Walker’s fourth as well. Both players were 2017 second-round picks — Everett with the Rams, Walker the Broncos — who have now played into their 30s. Each could certainly land another gig, though Walker might have a better shot given how underwhelming Everett’s latest season under Shane Waldron was.

Everett followed Waldron from the Rams to the Seahawks, only straying from the position coach-turned-coordinator’s path during a two-year Chargers stay. Prior to his dud in Chicago, Everett had been fairly consistent. He had posted between 400 and 480 receiving yards in four of his previous five seasons, deviating in 2022 via a career-best 555-yard showing to help the Chargers reach the playoffs. This is also not a strong tight end free agent class, which should at least give Everett a chance at a one-year accord.

The Broncos did not re-sign Walker in 2020, after he had operated as a 3-4 defensive end and OLB, but the Florida State product ripped off a seven-sack season for the Titans in 2022. This helped him score the Bears pact, and he has totaled 16 QB hits in each of his past three seasons. Although being a surefire starter post-Chicago may not be a lock for Walker, he probably has a path to another notable role after operating as a regular Bears first-stringer during his two-year stay.

Sam Robinson contributed to this post.

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