(670 The Score) Before being traded to the Bears in early March, veteran guard Joe Thuney spent his first nine NFL seasons blocking for all-time great quarterbacks Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes.
Thuney will now protect Bears second-year quarterback Caleb Williams, who aspires to have a career like those of Brady and Mahomes. Leaning on what he has learned from his time with two of the best ever at the position, Thuney is eager to help Williams reach his potential.
“See how they approach the day-to-day, the boring things that seem boring and repetitious, but they still attack them with the same intensity,” Thuney said. “And they just know the playbook inside and out and they really have such a passion for the game. I’m just excited to work with Caleb. I’ve heard great things about him and just ready to get going.”
The job for Thuney, new Bears center Drew Dalman and new right guard Jonah Jackson is simple. They must protect the 23-year-old Williams to give him the best chance to fulfill his potential.
The Bears selected Williams at No. 1 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. He threw for 3,541 yards, 20 touchdowns and six interceptions as a rookie while being sacked an NFL-high 68 times.
The mixed results of Williams’ first season have in no way altered the Bears' belief that he can become a franchise quarterback, and the team’s newcomers hold the same viewpoint.
“It’s exciting to be able to work with a player like that,” said Dalman, who signed a three-year deal with the Bears last week. “And I’m really excited to learn from him, as well as doing everything I can to help him and take things off his plate so that he can do the things that he does best.”
Veteran defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo, who also recently signed a three-year deal with the Bears, chased after Williams in a game last September when Chicago visited Indianapolis.
"He's elusive,” Odeyingbo said. “He's hard to get, but you know he can create plays with his feet, create plays with his arm. He's not just going to go down after one tackler. He's going to try to make you miss, try to extend the play and that can be big. So obviously he still has a lot to learn, still a young guy, but you can see the immense amount of potential and, you know, where he is going."
New Bears receiver Olamide Zaccheaus spent 2024 with the No. 2 overall pick in that draft in Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, who enjoyed the type of breakthrough year that Williams hoped to find.
Daniels threw for 3,568 yards, 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions while earning Pro Bowl and Rookie of the Year honors. He led the Commanders to the NFC Championship Game as part of a dramatic turnaround in Washington.
Zaccheaus believes that Williams has what it takes to be great.
“The biggest thing I think is the mental aspect of it for any young quarterback, especially Caleb,” Zaccheaus said. “He has all the talent that you need to be a top-tier quarterback in the league, so a lot of it is just going to be the mental aspect of it. You know, kind of just slowing the game down."
Having a bolstered supporting cast can only help Williams, who quickly texted Thuney after the Bears agreed to the trade to acquire him. Now, the Bears are hopeful that Williams is well-positioned for a breakthrough second season in the NFL.
“I’m really looking forward to playing with him,” Thuney said. “He’s such a talented player, and I’m excited to be part of the offense and do what I can.”
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.