Bears sign Joe Thuney to two-year, $35 million extension

The Bears lock up arguably their biggest impending free agent.

The Bears and star left guard Joe Thuney have agreed to a two-year deal worth $35 million, his agent Mike McCartney announced on Tuesday. The deal includes $33.5 million guaranteed at signing and locks up through the 2027 season.

Coming off two consecutive first-team All-Pro seasons with the Chiefs, Thuney landed in Chicago as part of an offseason trade for Kansas City to cut costs. He finished his time with the team having won two Super Bowls, being a three-time Pro Bowler, and appearing on three All-Pro teams in four years.

Over his previous nine seasons in the NFL, Thuney has started in every game he’s played and has missed just two games in his entire career. He is a four-time Super Bowl champion between his stints with the Patriots and Chiefs.

The deal makes Thuney, 32, the 10th highest-paid guard in the NFL on a yearly salary basis. By making the move, Chicago locks in one of the best interior offensive linemen in the league to stay on their team, and Thuney secures a few more years of high-level pay heading into the final years of his football career.

In theory, the Bears extending Thuney secures the interior of their offensive line for the next few years. He, center Drew Dalman, and right guard Jonah Jackson are all under contract until 2027.

---