The draft choice that started as compensation for the great Joe Thuney has finally found its home—four cities later.
On March 12, 2025, when the new league year opened, the Kansas City Chiefs shipped Thuney to the Chicago Bears in exchange for a 2026 fourth-round pick. For K.C., it was a pragmatic decision to part ways. Thuney was an older player entering the final year of his contract, and Brett Veach opted to shift resources to lock up free-agent-to-be Trey Smith instead, after the NFL's salary cap came in higher than expected.
That pick didn't stay in Chicago long. The Bears packaged it to New England during the 2025 draft as part of a compensation swap. The Patriots then flipped it again on the opening night of the 2026 NFL Draft, dealing picks No. 31 and No. 125 to the Buffalo Bills, in exchange for No. 28 overall, which they used on Utah offensive tackle Caleb Lomu.
The fourth-round pick from the Joe Thuney trade took a four-team journey before finally turning into a player.
That's Kansas City to Chicago to New England to Buffalo. Four stops in roughly 14 months. And after such a journey, the selection turned out to be Connecticut wide receiver Skyler Bell. He had an astounding 101 receptions for 1,278 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns for the Huskies a year ago. and now joins a Bills offense that could use some help at wideout.
For Chiefs fans, the pick is a quiet reminder of what Thuney meant to the dynasty. Thuney will be remembered as one of the single greatest free-agent signings in team history, and he's got a favorable shot of making it into the Chiefs Ring of Honor in the near future. From his reputation as arguably the best pass protector in the NFL to his ironman streak of games started, Thuney was worth every penny that Clark Hunt ever paid him.
During his tenure with the Chiefs, Thuney's performance and leadership helped lead the franchise to three consecutive Super Bowl appearances and delivered two championships, giving him four rings in his career. He was named an All-Pro in three of his four seasons in K.C. and was even No. 10 in voting for Offensive Player of the Year in 2024. He was even versatile and selfish enough to slide outside to left tackle when injuries decimated the team's options in front of Patrick Mahomes.
The Bears, of course, have no buyer's remorse. Thuney went on to help the Bears in similar fashion, making their first deep postseason run in 15 seasons, while earning the NFL's first-ever Protector of the Year Award in 2025. Chicago even extended him another two seasons in order to make sure he likely ends his career with the franchise.
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