The Chicago Bears had endured a subpar offensive line for far too long, and the 2024 season appeared to be the last straw. After drafting Caleb Williams, the most talented quarterback in franchise history, with the first overall pick, Chicago's O-line proceeded to allow 57 unblocked pressures and 13 unblocked sacks, both being the worst numbers in the NFL. Williams' rookie season was therefore much rockier than expected, and GM Ryan Poles knew he had to make a change.
For the first time as Chicago's GM, Poles went on a spending frenzy to acquire O-linemen to protect his team's most important asset. First, he traded for guard Jonah Jackson and then extended his contract. Then, Poles traded for future Hall of Fame guard Joe Thuney and likewise extended his contract, too.
It's this pairing of guards that has fans and analysts excited for Chicago's O-line in 2025, and it's being projected to be the best duo of guards in the NFL. In a recent ranking of the NFL's best duos at each position for Pro Football Focus, Zoltan Buday had this to say about Thuney and Jackson: "In previous years, [Jackson] ranked among the top 30 guards in PFF overall grade multiple times under then-Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who is now the Chicago Bears' head coach. Slightly above-average play from Jackson could be enough to make this duo the best in the NFL."
Regarding Thuney, Buday writes, "Joe Thuney is arguably the best pass-blocking guard in the NFL... between Week 5 and Week 12, he allowed only one pressure on 316 pass plays and earned a 95.6 PFF pass-blocking grade, which led all guards by a significant margin."
That's high praise indeed for a team that just last year featured one of the worst guards in the NFL and another who couldn't stay healthy. And to make things even better, the guy between this duo is projected to be among the league's best centers.
You don't want to count your chickens before they hatch, but Thuney is as close to a sure thing as possible. The four-time All-Pro will slot in at left guard and provide Williams with elite protection at that spot. Jackson is more of a question mark, but as Buday pointed out, he was an excellent guard while playing for Ben Johnson, so that's reason enough to believe he can put up another Pro Bowl season.
If this duo lives up to the hype, then Williams has a great shot at doing the same.
