Bears GM Ryan Poles hopes to sign
Joe Thuney to extension after deals with Gordon, Edwards
[April 23, 2025]
By ANDREW SELIGMAN
LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles
was glad to sign cornerback Kyler Gordon and linebacker T.J. Edwards
to contract extensions.
One more player he would like to get a deal done with is guard Joe
Thuney.
“Yeah, that’s definitely, I would say, one of the priorities moving
forward,” Poles said on Tuesday.
The Bears acquired the 32-year-old Thuney from Kansas City in a
trade in March, one of several moves they made to overhaul a shaky
offensive line and give Caleb Williams the protection he needs. The
quarterback was sacked a franchise-record and league-leading 68
times after being drafted with the No. 1 overall pick last year. The
Bears hope that number goes down in a big way after reinforcing the
line and hiring coach Ben Johnson.
Topping the list is Thuney. A nine-year veteran and an All-Pro the
past two years, he played on two Super Bowl champions in New England
and two more in Kansas City.
It's not hard to see why Poles would want to extend him. But it's
not clear if Thuney feels the same way or would rather test free
agency with his contract set to expire after the upcoming season.
Though he said he was “grateful to be here” and “pumped to play” in
Chicago at a news conference following the trade, he sidestepped
questions about a potential extension.
“I kind of let my agent handle all that. I just try and focus on the
game and football, just getting ready for the season," he said at
the time.
Besides landing Thuney, the Bears acquired guard Jonah Jackson from
the Los Angeles Rams. They signed center Drew Dalman, too, and might
add another blocker with the No. 10 pick in the draft on Thursday.
[to top of second column] |
Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles talks to media during a
news conference at Halas Hall in Lake Forest, Ill., March 12, 2025.
(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, file)
Poles hasn't ignored the defense, either, this
offseason. The Bears added two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Grady
Jarrett and edge rusher Dayo Odeyingbo. They also retained two key
players by extending Gordon through 2028 and Edwards through 2027.
The 25-year-old Gordon was the first player drafted by Poles when he
was taken in the second round out of Washington in 2022. He has five
interceptions and 17 passes defended in three seasons.
Edwards, 28, signed with Chicago in 2023 and has had 284 total
tackles, 14 quarterback hits and 6 1/2 sacks in that span. He set
career highs with four sacks and 12 tackles for loss last season
while starting all 17 games for the third year in a row. Edwards
spent his first four seasons in Philadelphia after going undrafted
out of Wisconsin.
“When you see a guy like that go from being undrafted and working
himself into his first contract, elevating his game again and
getting a second contract, I think that’s special and I think that
motivates all the other guys that come in the door," Poles said.
“And again, no one is more deserving than he is. Kyler as well.
Really happy to get that done. Impact player for us. Ability to make
plays all over the field in different phases. He’s a guy that I
believe is ascending and will continue to grow when he gets into
this new defense, I think his game can go to the next level as
well.”
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