Bears' plan to protect Caleb Williams vs. Rams front could have All-Pro Joe Thuney at left tackle

Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune on Jan 17, 2026

Published in Football

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CHICAGO — When the Chicago Bears were formulating how to rebuild the offensive line early in the offseason, a process that began with trades for guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson and the addition of center Drew Dalman in free agency, questions loomed at left tackle.

Who was going to protect Caleb Williams’ blind side?

The plan, as it was developed in the weeks and months to come, was to play Thuney at left guard. It turned into a decision that paid huge dividends as Williams’ sack total plunged like the temperature in Chicago of late and the running game took off, finishing the season third in the NFL.

But for the divisional-round playoff meeting against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday evening at Soldier Field (5:30 p.m., NBC, Peacock), Thuney could be the short-term answer at left tackle. Two sources said they believe the Bears are strongly considering shifting Thuney to left tackle with Jordan McFadden or rookie Luke Newman slotting in at left guard.

If so, Thuney would become the fourth player to start at left tackle since the beginning of the season. The Bears have to do something a week after rookie second-round pick Ozzy Trapilo left the wild-card-round victory over the Green Bay Packers in the final two minutes with a left patellar tendon injury.

Thuney, 33, has experience at left tackle as recently as last season when the Kansas City Chiefs, after a series of injuries on the offensive line, used him there in a bid to stabilize the line in front of Patrick Mahomes in Weeks 15 to 17 of the regular season. Thuney then played left tackle in three playoffs games, including the Super Bowl LIX loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

It had been widely assumed Theo Benedet, who replaced Trapilo on the final drive against the Packers, would start against the Rams. Benedet started eight games this season, seven at left tackle, including the regular-season finale at Soldier Field, a 19-16 loss to the Detroit Lions. The offense was held scoreless through three quarters of that game, and while the Lions sacked Williams only once, defensive end Aidan Hutchinson was a nonstop problem and registered eight quarterback pressures.

The Bears brought Braxton Jones, who started the first four games of the season at left tackle, back from injured reserve to the 53-man roster this week after he spent two months recovering from a knee injury. The coaching staff has been positive about his comeback, but sources indicate Plan B — with Trapilo on the shelf — could very well be Thuney.

The Rams present a formidable challenge as most of the resources they have invested on defense are on the line. Outside linebackers Jared Verse (67) and Byron Young (54) and defensive tackle Kobie Turner (52) give them three players with more than 50 quarterback pressures. Add in defensive end Braden Fiske and nose tackle Poona Ford and the Bears will need to block it up to provide Williams with time to attack a secondary that has been susceptible, especially in the second half of the season.

“I think collectively this front five is as good as we’ve seen in its entirety,” offensive line coach Dan Roushar said Thursday.

McFadden, 26, who began the season on the practice squad, was elevated to the game-day roster for the Nov. 23 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers when Trapilo made his first start at left tackle. The Bears bumped up McFadden again the next week and then promoted him to the 53-man roster.

“Jordan was up and active and he would have been a guy if his number was called we would have had a lot of confidence in as well,” coach Ben Johnson said following the Steelers game. “Whether it’s out at tackle or inside at guard. It’s a big credit there to our O-line coaches and the job that they’ve done all year long getting these guys ready to play.”

McFadden has appeared in seven games this season, mostly on special teams, and has two career starts in 2023 with the Los Angeles Chargers. Newman, a sixth-round pick from Michigan State, was brought back to the 53-man roster after a stint on IR with a sprained foot. He played 22 snaps against the Steelers when Jackson had an eye injury evaluated.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid was on the SiriusXM podcast “Let’s Go” before the Super Bowl last January when he was asked about moving Thuney to left tackle.

“He doesn’t say a word about it,” Reid said. “He doesn’t complain. And that’s a whole different world out there. There’s no security blanket when you’re on that side there on your outside. That’s a tough spot. But he just steps in and goes and never blinks on it.”

Chiefs players voted Thuney the team MVP for last season probably, in part, because of his selfless position switch.

“Very humbling,” Thuney said when the Bears introduced him with Jackson as the first two big pieces of the O-line makeover. “Whenever your teammates vote that for you. As an offensive lineman, you kind of just want to play wherever you can out there. You just want to be on the field with the guys.

“They asked me to play left tackle and I said, ‘Yeah, no problem.' ”