Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams faces one of the more difficult tasks this NFL season as he heads into competition not for the starting job, but for supremacy amongst the young stars of the quarterback world. From CJ Stroud, Jayden Daniels, Bryce Young, and Drake Maye, Williams will be compared to players in his age bracket, and beyond, based on the results he delivers this season.
The former USC Trojans Heisman Trophy winner had a rocky rookie season from a supporting cast standpoint. Now, with a new coach like Ben Johnson and a revamped roster, Williams is expected to translate his record-breaking rookie statistical campaign into wins. Part of that revamped roster includes an entirely rebuilt offensive line unit that was recently ranked fourth in the league by Pro Football Focus. A marked increase from their 2024 ranking, where they were amongst the worst in the NFL
“Things are set to look a lot different in Chicago. Not only is the offensive line remolded, but it's also perhaps the most improved unit in the NFL. Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright, who both finished among the 22 highest-graded offensive tackles in 2024, were already a promising young duo. Now, the unit has three new interior starters who represent immediate upgrades,” said PFF analyst Zoltan Buday.
“Trade acquisition Joe Thuney has been the best pass-blocking guard in the NFL in recent years, and free-agent center Drew Dalman ranked among the top five at his position in PFF overall grade in each of the past two seasons. If right guard Jonah Jackson can stay healthy and get back to his old form, this can be one of the NFL's top offensive lines,” Buday continued.
While the names added to be both starters and depth pieces are substantial, Joe Thuney stands out over them all. Thuney has been the anchoring force for offensive line units for both Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes. Thuney is a potential Hall of Famer and will be incredibly invaluable in the protection of Williams, but also in the team building aspect of being a veteran in the locker room.
"We are looking forward to Joe being a member of the Chicago Bears for the years ahead," said General Manager Ryan Poles. "Joe's leadership and experience have already positively impacted our organization, and we are fortunate that he will continue to lead our team, on and off the field."
Williams has a tall task ahead of him, but he’s not alone. The Bears have done nearly everything they could to ensure the young quarterback has every tool at his disposal to get over the hump, and listen to most important tool added to the shed is the offensive line that now projects as one of the best units in the league.
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