Caleb Williams endured a rookie season nobody in Chicago wants to remember, and honestly, nobody in the league should forget. The 2024 No. 1 overall pick and Heisman winner went through a brutal offensive situation, taking a staggering 68 sacks. That’s tied for the third-most ever in a single season, just think about that for a second! His offensive coordinator got axed mid-season, and then, only two and a half weeks later, his coach was also shown the door. It was an absolute mess, and Bears fans were just watching their future get pummeled.
The Big Gamble That Set Chicago Straight
When Ben Johnson stepped in as the Chicago Bears’ head coach two offseasons ago, the pressure was all on Caleb. Johnson, alongside GM Ryan Poles, knew they needed to stabilize things, not just for Williams, but for the whole darn offense. And they got to work fast, making one of their first, and arguably best, moves: snagging guard Joe Thuney from the Kansas City Chiefs. This move was a huge part of kickstarting Chicago’s whole turnaround, and it’s something we’re revisiting as the Bears gear up for a “Thursday Night Football” showdown against the Patriots, where Thuney spent five years and won two Super Bowls.
The trade was simple enough on paper: The Bears got Joe Thuney, the Chiefs received a 2026 fourth-round pick. That pick was later used by KC in a trade-up to draft cornerback Nohl Williams 85th overall in 2025. But the impact for Chicago was anything but simple. Thuney wasn’t slowing down, not even in his age-32 season. He was a first-team All-Pro for the second straight year, a total beast. When the Chiefs’ offensive line got hit with injuries and underperformance, Thuney even kicked out to left tackle and held his own, playing serviceably. The guy was so good he finished 10th in Offensive Player of the Year voting! Johnson knew the importance of a killer offensive line, especially the interior, after his time in Detroit where he worked with a unit that was arguably the NFL’s best. A week before the Thuney deal, the Bears also traded for Jonah Jackson, another interior lineman Johnson knew well, and that move paid off instantly too. Two months after coming to Chicago, Thuney inked a two-year, $35 million deal. That’s what you call a priority.
Why KC Let an All-Pro Walk
So, why would the Chiefs let a first-team All-Pro like Thuney go? It wasn’t about his play, that’s for sure. It all came down to a serious financial crunch in Kansas City. They had already franchise-tagged right guard Trey Smith, and right tackle Jawaan Taylor carried a massive cap hit. Plus, center Creed Humphrey’s extension was kicking in, and so was defensive tackle Chris Jones’. High-priced veterans were everywhere on their roster, and Thuney was due an extension that the Chiefs simply weren’t going to be able to deliver. That’s the cold hard reality of success in the NFL: you can’t keep everyone.
The Chiefs had seen this coming, though. They had drafted Kingsley Suamataia in the second round in 2024 and Wanya Morris in the third round in 2023. After Thuney moved on, they kept bolstering the line, drafting Josh Simmons in the first round in 2025. They were prepared to lose someone up front, even a star.
Tonight, as the Bears face the Patriots, it’s more than just another game. It’s a chance to see how far this turnaround, sparked by moves like bringing in Joe Thuney, has truly come. For Caleb Williams, it’s about continuing to prove that the nightmare rookie year is long gone, and that stability up front is everything for a young QB. This game is a checkpoint for Chicago, showing just how much one smart trade can change the entire direction of a franchise.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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