After allowing quarterback Patrick Mahomes to be sacked a career-high number of times last season and an embarrassing performance against the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl, the Kansas City Chiefs entered the offseason needing to improve their offensive line.
This offseason, the Chiefs were forced to make a few difficult decisions regarding their offensive line, such as using the franchise tag on offensive lineman Trey Smith and trading away offensive lineman Joe Thuney. The move was surprising but not completely shocking.
So, they went with the younger option in Smith and traded Thuney, aware that they likely would not be able to pay Thuney what he wanted while also getting something in return for the veteran offensive lineman in a trade. The Chiefs made a challenging but wise choice by trading Thuney.
Daniel Popper of the Athletic released his list of the top players from around the league who are set to hit free agency next off-season. He listed the Chiefs’ former standout offensive lineman as the 22nd-best player set to become a free agent next off-season.
“Thuney has been one of the best and most durable guards in the league for close to a decade. The Chiefs signed him to a five-year deal in the 2021 free-agency window, and he was one of the few splash signings that actually returned the investment. Thuney won two Super Bowls in Kansas City. He has four Super Bowls in his career,” Popper said.
“The Chiefs traded Thuney to the [Chicago] Bears this offseason. Thuney has some mileage, and he will be 33 when the next off-season rolls around. That is the only reason he is not higher on this list. It will be fun to see him play in the Ben Johnson offense. He has some good football left. How he performs in 2025 will dictate his standing in these rankings come March.