It's starting to seem like the Bears are treading in places they've never been, or at least haven't recently been.
It's too early to say this about the roster in general as more moves still need to be made in free agency and the draft, but what is different is the team's decision makers are making bold, aggressive moves and they're on the cutting edge of NFL thinking.
For a franchise used to slow action, backward and stupid thinking over the years, this is a drastic departure.
The examples are the trade for Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson and the overall ability of Ben Johnson to work with GM Ryan Poles efficiently and decisively before the free agency negotiating period has even begun.
How often in the past have the Bears been winners in toe-to-toe battles for a player?
Yet Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer reported in an interview on NBC Sports Boston's Boston Sports Tonight that the Bears won a battle over the Patriots and prevented Thuney from a homecoming in New England. Breer painted a picture where the Bears had conviction about Thuney and the Patriots sounded like the Bears always have. They waffled about and were unwilling to go an extra minor step to get the player they wanted.
"They talked to the Chiefs about Joe Thuney, obviously they wouldn't meet their price, which seems a little crazy given their offensive line issues, and the fact that this is a future (2026) fourth-round pick," Breer said. "I would have some questions if it was this year's fourth-round pick because they've only got eight picks and a ton of roster needs to take care of and they need to draft well, and need that margin for error.
"But I am a little surprised they weren't willing to go to that price."
It's especially surprising considering how much money the Patriots have available. They come into free agency with the most cap space.
The Bears had no problem with taking that deal even if it means they might only have Thuney for one year because his contract expires, much the way they took on Keenan Allen's contract for one year.
The difference here is the one year is going to cost the Bears $16 million for one year of what would have been a $26.9 million cap hit for the Chiefs.
If things work out, the Bears can always agree to an extension or they could always extend him right away, like they did with Montez Sweat.
The Bears identified a player they wanted and the price was not too high because they want to get the protection Caleb Williams needs to have an effective first season under Johnson.
They can always draft players this year who can come in and learn and be ready next year to play the position if they do lose Thuney after one season, or draft or sign a replacement in 2026.
The draft pick for next year is even a better situation for the Bear because, as Breer points out, they can always do something to recoup the pick before next year's draft in terms of a trade.
"You need to have guys in here who can play at that kind of level and get you to respectability," Breer said.
A year ago, Poles wouldn't pull the trigger and give the Patriots better than the third-round pick they got from Atlanta in the trade for edge rusher Matthew Judon.
Now, in hindsight it wasn't a good deal because Judon had a mediocre season and is a free agent. But the point isn't how Judon performed, it's how the Bears wouldn't go the extra step and offer something better than the third-round pick the Falcons gave for him. How strong was their conviction? Apparently it wasn't high and if it isn't then why get involved in the talks in the first place.
Poles didn't get much help from Matt Eberflus in making clear what's entirely necessary and it seems Johnson is doing this.
At least they said at the combine Johnson is doing this. Johnson made it very clear Thuney was a necessary and ideal player for his offense, even if it is only for a year. Poles agreed. They made the move.
The trade of a rather meaningless sixth-round pick to acquire Jonah Jackson obviously is Johnson's influence. It was a player he saw performing at a Pro Bowl level one season in Detroit, one who was improving as a blocker but then was injured, didn't get to practice, then had to change positions.
Johnson knows this player, just as he knew tight end Durham Smythe, who becomes his new Brock Wright, a backup tight end who catches about the same number of passes as Wright did in Detroit, blocks and even played at the same college as Wright, Notre Dame.
This new Bears tag team couldn't wait to get started on the rebuild and found ways to do it before free agency when prices get even higher because of bidding wars.
It's only a start, and they have a lot of ground to make up after years of floundering.
