The Kansas City Chiefs made several moves last offseason; however, some of them didn't exactly work out in their favor. One of the biggest changes came on the offensive side when the Chiefs traded guard Joe Thuney to the Chicago Bears.
After extending Trey Smith, Kansas City didn't want to pay Thuney as well, but it was a mistake for this front. They should have found a way to get it done, and the mishap continues to pain the team ahead of this offseason.
Thuney was nominated for the NFL’s first-ever Protector of the Year Award, and his quarterback, Caleb Williams, commented on his Instagram account (h/t @bearszn) with the caption, "Best in the world!”
This award was created for the most outstanding lineman over a single NFL season, and the winner is determined by a selection committee of NFL legends. Of course, Thuney being a finalist pours more salt into the wound for the Chiefs.
Joe Thuney's Protector of the Year Nomination Adds to Chiefs' Pain
Garett Bolles, Aaron Brewer, Quinn Meinerz, Penei Sewell, and Creed Humphrey are also finalists for the award. It's nice to see Humphrey listed as well, but the void created by Thuney's absence was clear.
They turned things over to second-year player Kingsley Suamataia. He was solid as a replacement, but there's still room for growth with the young player. According to Pro Football Focus, he had a 65.1 overall grade (36th among 81 graded guards), 65.7 pass-blocking grade (26th among 81 graded guards), and a 63.7 run-blocking grade (40th among 81 graded guards). He also allowed 35 pressures, eight QB hits, and three sacks, while committing six penalties.
Meanwhile, Thuney was a stalwart for the Bears, although he's 33 years old. He finished the season with a 79.4 overall grade (5th among 81 graded guards), 88.6 pass-blocking grade (1st among 81 graded guards), and a 71 run-blocking grade (19th among 81 graded guards) on PFF.
Despite playing the second-most snaps at guard (1,149), he only gave up 15 pressures and one hit. Thuney didn't give up a sack and locked down the opposing defensive linemen across him. He even played left tackle in the divisional round loss, just like he did for the Chiefs.
The NC State product continues to be one of the best offensive linemen in the league, and that has to suck for Kansas City, as they're still dealing with questions along the line. The Chiefs ranked 11th in sacks allowed (47), with the Bears allowing the fewest (25). Of course, Thuney wasn't the sole reason for their success, but he played a major role.
The Chiefs got just a fourth-round pick in return, but that wasn't enough for the quality of play Thuney put on the field. Financially, it's understandable why the Chiefs decided to move on. They gave Smith a four-year, $94 million extension and didn't want to pay another guard a large sum of money. But his departure still stings. And Thuney being a finalist for the Protector of the Year Award is just another example piling ontop.