Here’s what we learned from Chicago Bears' Ryan Poles, Ben Johnson at the start of NFL free agency

LAKE FOREST – Bears general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Ben Johnson met with reporters Wednesday at Halas Hall on the first day of the new NFL year and the official start of free agency.

The Bears announced a couple of trades and free agent signings Poles agreed to over the past week. The team made their trades for offensive linemen Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson and the free agent signings of defensive tackle Grady Jarrett and tight end Durham Smythe official as the new league started at 3 p.m.

Poles and Johnson will look to make roster additions as free agency continues this week and the draft takes place next month. Here are four of the most interesting things Poles and Johnson said Wednesday.

On the decision to trade for guards

Over the past couple of seasons, Poles said he’s learned to be on his toes and ready to move in case something pops up. He used those lessons when he decided to replace both of his starting guard spots through trades instead of free agency.

When Poles learned that Thuney and Jackson were available to acquire through trades, the Bears did their research and relied on their familiarity to move quickly.

“There were two guys who we were really familiar with, that we know can help us not only from a leadership perspective, but also on the field,” Poles said. “When that popped open, we were able to jump on it.”

The Bears acquired Thuney from the Kansas City Chiefs for a 2026 fourth-round pick and Jackson from the Los Angeles Rams for a 2025 sixth-round pick. Poles and Thuney spent time together in Kansas City, while Johnson and Jackson were together with the Detroit Lions.

Although the Bears were set to hit free agency with ample spending money, Poles said he didn’t want to bet on money being the sole factor in a free agent’s decision. In his view, sometimes a player values a location or a team’s situation more than who can throw the largest amount of money at them.

“There were two guys who we were really familiar with, that we know can help us not only from a leadership perspective, but also on the field. When that popped open, we were able to jump on it.”

—  Ryan Poles, Chicago Bears general manager

With known commodities in Thuney and Jackson, Poles didn’t feel like it was worth the wait.

“There’s no guarantee just because the board is lined up and you have money to make it happen,” Poles said. “You’ve got to really cast a wide net, be opportunistic and see when opportunities pop up. This is the best thing for us.”

On the process of acquiring Thuney, Jackson

Poles and Johnson looked for a lot of different characteristics when choosing who to bring into the offensive line room. As Johnson described it, they wanted linemen who were “tough, gritty and dirty.”

But there was one characteristic that Poles and Johnson both looked for and felt Thuney and Jackson both exemplified: intelligence.

Johnson plans to run an offense that will require its players to be versatile and knowledgeable in running different fronts and schemes. He considers the interior of the offensive line an essential part of making that work.

“We’d love to have some versatility with our scheme, some multiplicity if you will,” Johnson said. “We’ve got a couple guys in the building now that we feel can strongly handle a variety of different concepts and schemes that we might want to employ each and every week.”

Thuney and Jackson will bring different levels of intelligence through experience. Thuney is a four-time All-Pro who won four Super Bowls with the New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs. He’ll make a major impact in quarterback Caleb Willaims’ growth during his second year.

Jackson was someone Johnson believes can be a Pro Bowl-caliber player with the Bears after watching him play right guard with the Lions. Johnson felt Jackson was out of position with the Rams last season when he moved around between guard and center.

“I’m really excited to get these guys in the room, combined with the coaches we’ve already put together for that room,” Johnson said. “I really feel good about the style of play we’ll have this year.”

On how much leadership played a role in the moves

The Bears added veteran leadership with all four of their moves Wednesday. Each player has been in the league since at least 2020, and Jarrett, Thuney and Smythe have played in the NFL since 2018.

That experience was something Poles and Johnson wanted to add to the locker room after a season during which players repeatedly asked to be held accountable. Johnson felt the group that met with reporters Wednesday, Jarrett, Thuney and Jackson, would provide valuable leadership and experience.

“All three of these guys, they’ve been in the playoffs, they’ve won playoff games,” Johnson said. “[Thuney] in particular has won Super Bowls. That does rub off on the rest of the locker room.”

Thuney’s leadership is something Poles and Johnson pointed out Wednesday. Thuney was a major leader for the Chiefs last season, and his teammates voted him as the team’s most valuable player last year.

Poles expects Thuney’s impact to stretch beyond the offensive line room.

“He’s seen a lot of different things, played with a lot of different players,” Poles said. “There’s a level of maturity and leadership that is going to enhance not just the offensive line room but our entire roster.”

On how the moves impact the Bears’ draft strategy

The Bears' roster looks different compared with how it did at the end of last season.

Poles turned over the interior of the offensive line with the trades for Thuney and Jackson and the reported signing of center Drew Dalman. They also added to the defensive line with Jarrett’s signing and the reported addition of defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo.

Those moves will change the way the Bears will approach the draft next month in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

“This really opens the whole board for us,” Poles said. “We’re going to be able to sit back and do what’s the best thing to do for the Chicago Bears and who’s the best player who can make an impact.”

The Bears will have four top-100 picks in the draft. They’ll select No. 10 overall in the first round as well as No. 39 and No. 41 in the second round and No. 72 in the third round.

Poles could choose to add depth to both lines. Or he could make a splash for a top running back with the picks.

“We’ve got some decisions,” Poles said, “and a lot of film to watch between now and the draft.”