The Chicago Bears have more freedom to wield the No. 10 overall pick in next month's NFL draft after trading for two elite pass-blocking offensive guards this week.
"The Bears agreed to trade a 2026 fourth-round pick to the Kansas City Chiefs for guard Joe Thuney and are sending a 2025 sixth-round pick to the Los Angeles Rams for guard Jonah Jackson," ESPN's Courtney Cronin wrote Wednesday, March 5. "According to ESPN Research, 94 players had at least 60 pass block plays with a win or loss at guard last season. Jackson (98.5%) and Thuney (98.2%) had the two highest pass block win rates at guard of that group."
The most common prediction among draft analysts is that the Bears will look to add an elite-level left tackle in the first round after spending the No. 10 pick on starting right tackle Darnell Wright two years ago.
However, Chicago also badly needs an edge rusher in 2025 and could either select one at No. 10 or package that pick with others to move up for Abdul Carter of Penn State -- arguably the most talented player in this class across all positions.
That is precisely what Chris Trepasso of CBS Sports predicted Wednesday that the Bears will do via a trade with the New England Patriots, who hold the No. 4 selection.
In his latest mock, Trepasso predicts the New York Giants to trade up with the Tennessee Titans for the top pick and take quarterback Cam Ward. Then the Browns will select CB/WR Travis Hunter second and the Titans will pick defensive lineman Mason Graham out of Michigan.
"The moment the Graham pick was announced for the Titans, the Bears called the Patriots and sent an offer New England couldn't refuse -- the first of Chicago's two second-round picks (No. 39) this year and a second-round pick in 2026," Trepasso wrote. "The Bears get a premier edge rusher to pair with Montez Sweat in Carter."
While that is a truly monster haul to give up for one player, it sets the edge of the Bears' defense for the next half-decade between Carter and Sweat, while the interior of the offensive line already looks vastly superior to last year's group.
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This story was originally published March 5, 2025 at 6:14 PM.