The Chiefs and the Bears have made a major trade ahead of the 2025 new league year, with Kansas City agreeing to send offensive lineman Joe Thuney to Chicago in exchange for a 2026 fourth-round pick.
The move provides the Chiefs with immediate salary cap relief. According to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, the Bears will take on the entirety of Thuney's $16 million contract.
With said newfound salary cap space, one NFL analyst thinks Kansas City could now make a major splash to help re-tool its offensive line in free agency next week:
"There’s only one player that makes sense for the Chiefs in free agency now that All-Pro Joe Thuney is gone," former NFL quarterback-turned-Fox Sports pundit Chase Daniel wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday. "Ronnie Stanley."
Stanley, age 30, has played with the Baltimore Ravens for the entirety of his career and is the top left tackle option expected to hit free agency. SI's Matt Verderame and Gilberto Manzano project him to fetch a three-year, $66 million deal on the open market.
Daniel went on to share a clip from he and The Athletic's Dianna Russini's "Scoop City" podcast, where he outlined the potential move.
There’s only one player that makes sense for the Chiefs in free agency now that All-Pro Joe Thuney is gone…..Ronnie Stanley@DMRussini & I did a “Dream Scenario” segment on Scoop City Tuesday & while it was a joke….now it has to happen!
— Chase Daniel (@ChaseDaniel) March 5, 2025
🎥: https://t.co/6eM5Ov7Urb pic.twitter.com/kRHMgEEqwE
"Here's what I want to happen... go to the Kansas City Chiefs," he said of Stanley's impending free agency. "Their tackle situation right now? ...You drafted Kingsley Suamataia in the second round, didn't work out... You did this after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers [Super Bowl loss] [GM Brett] Veach. You went out and you solidified that offensive line even more. Get your guy, move him to left tackle, make sure you protect the franchise—and that franchise is Patrick Mahomes."
Could the rich get richer? We'll see when free agency officially opens up next week.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as NFL Analyst Floats One Player Chiefs Could Target Following Joe Thuney Trade.
