According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the Kansas City Chiefs are “actively engaged in trade discussions” for two-time All-Pro guard Joe Thuney. A former third-round pick, Thuney established himself as one of the league’s premier guards with the New England Patriots before joining the Chiefs in 2021. Maintaining his high level of play, the North Carolina State product helped the team win two Super Bowls while combining with Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith to form the league’s best interior offensive line.
Update: the Chiefs have traded Joe Thuney to the Chicago Bears for a 2026 fourth-round pick
The Kansas City Chiefs are engaged in trade discussions surrounding 4x Super Bowl champion Joe Thuney, per sources.
Chicago is one of the teams interested in the 2x All-Pro. pic.twitter.com/N7YDehEFDM
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) March 5, 2025
Despite entering his age-33 season, Joe Thuney remains one of the league’s elite players, but the Chiefs may have no choice but to trade him. After using the franchise tag on Trey Smith, the team is currently $18 million over the salary cap and lacks the financial resources to re-sign key free agents like Nick Bolton and Justin Reid. Thuney is entering the final year of his contract and carries a staggering $26.97 million cap hit. The Chiefs can save $16 million if they trade Joe Thuney, and several teams should be fighting for the right to land the All-Pro.
REPORT: Chiefs Trying to Trade Star Guard Joe Thuney
Possible Fits
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears already traded for Jonah Jackson, but Russini’s tweet suggests they’re not done addressing the offensive line. First-year head coach Ben Johnson looked like an offensive genius during his time with the Detroit Lions, but they also had a strong offensive line. Johnson will attempt to recreate that same environment to bring out the best in former first-overall pick Caleb Williams. Williams impressed under a poor coaching staff last year, so imagine what he could do with better blocking and a superior scheme.
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens boast one of the best rosters in football, but they have a serious need at the guard position. The team lost John Simpson and Pro Bowler Kevin Zeitler in free agency and never found proper replacements. While Baltimore might have to get creative to make the money work, Thuney’s ability to clear rushing lanes for Derrick Henry could be unstoppable.
New England Patriots
One of the biggest mistakes the post-Brady Patriots made was letting Joe Thuney leave following the 2021 season. New England’s offensive line is now the worst in football, and franchise quarterback Drake Maye will not survive in this current environment. Mike Onwenu is an above-average guard, but the other four spots could use an upgrade. Thuney is still an elite player, and his presence could allow Cole Strange to transition to center and compete with aging veteran David Andrews.
Los Angeles Chargers
The Kansas City Chiefs probably won’t trade Joe Thuney to their strongest division rival, but the fit is too good to ignore. Head coach Jim Harbaugh is an old-school mind who wants to win games in the trenches, and he already has an elite tackle duo in Rashawn Slater and first-round pick Joe Alt, but they must address the interior offensive line. Zion Johnson is a fine starter, but Trey Pipkins is a liability. Replacing him with an elite player like Thuney should give the team a top-five offensive line and could make them legitimate contenders.
Main Photo: Mark J. Rebilas – Imagn Images
