​The Chicago Bears dedicated major effort to renovating their interior offensive line during the previous offseason, bringing in left guard Joe Thuney and right guard Jonah Jackson. This upgrade paid immediate dividends in Ben Johnson’s inaugural year as head coach, helping the offense take a clear step forward. The Bears acquired Thuney from the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for a 2026 fourth-round pick, and he promptly earned first-team All-Pro honors while also being named the NFL’s Protector of the Year. Chicago also sent a 2025 sixth-round pick to the Los Angeles Rams to land Jackson, who slotted in on the right side of the line beside right tackle Darnell Wright.
Sports Illustrated’s Matt Verderame lauded Thuney and Jackson, ranking them as the second-best guard duo in the league—trailing only the Denver Broncos pair of Quinn Meinerz and Ben Powers. It’s a rarity for a guard to be mentioned in Hall of Fame conversations, but Thuney’s career trajectory makes such a possibility seem reasonable. He has already secured four championships with the Patriots and Chiefs, earned three first-team All-Pro selections, plus two second-team nods, and continues to perform at an elite level. Even at 33, Thuney remains among the league’s best, having made the Pro Bowl in each of the last four seasons and played in 100 percent of the offensive snaps on four occasions across a decade-long career, while missing only a handful of games.
Jackson, similarly acquired by Chicago in the same offseason, complemented Thuney by providing a steady presence on the interior. The 29-year-old played all 17 games for the Bears, committing just one holding penalty while posting a 72.3 overall grade from Pro Football Focus. That grade placed him 26th among guards, with Thuney ranking eighth and first in pass blocking. Together, Thuney and Jackson formed a formidable guard tandem that contributed significantly to the Bears’ on-field success last season.
The importance of the Bears’ revamped interior line cannot be overstated. Their improved run game helped propel the NFL’s third-best rushing attack, and their line protection limited sacks, allowing quarterback Caleb Williams to operate with greater confidence. Thuney and Jackson were central to this success, and they are poised to play equal parts in Chicago’s plans as the team looks to build on its 2026 performance. As the team moves forward, the expectation is that their stability and efficiency up the middle will continue to anchor the offense, enabling Williams and the rest of the unit to execute with greater precision and consistency.
For ongoing updates and deeper coverage, follow Bears Wire on social media. This post originally appeared on Bears Wire and examines how Thuney and Jackson rank among NFL guard duos, highlighting the value of their contribution to the Bears’ offense and their potential to shape the team’s fortunes in the coming seasons.