Free agency wasn’t the first step, after all. True to form, GM Ryan Poles stayed aggressive on the trade market for solutions on the roster. The Chicago Bears flipped a 6th round pick to the Los Angeles Rams for 28-year-old guard Jonah Jackson. He reunites with Ben Johnson, whom he played under in Detroit for three seasons between 2021 and 2023. Many are skeptical of the move. Jackson was a disaster in Los Angeles, playing only four games, got injured, and was benched. Is he really an upgrade over what is available in free agency?
If you ask offensive line experts, the answer is a resounding yes. It started with Justin Pugh. The former 1st round pick started 131 games in the NFL, most at guard. He knows the position well and felt somebody would look smart by trading for Jackson.
He isn’t alone. Duke Manyweather and Brandon Thorn are widely considered two of the best offensive line experts in the NFL media sphere. Both of them stated that the acquisition of Jackson was a great move by the Bears. If he’s healthy, they are getting a tremendous player.
The new Bears offensive line coach is familiar with situations like this. An offensive lineman who has a track record of iffy health issues leaves a team to try his luck elsewhere. That happened with Larry Warford in the mid-2010s when he left Detroit. The New Orleans Saints signed him, and Roushar helped turn him into a three-time Pro Bowler. If anybody is equipped to get the most from Jackson, it is him. That is before you get into the familiarity between him and Ben Johnson. Detroit’s offense was one of the NFL’s best for two years when Jackson was in the lineup.
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The Bears are in a great spot. If Jonah Jackson returns to his Detroit form, they have him under contract for two years at an affordable price. If his health struggles continue, they can release him next off-season with only $5 million in dead cap. More than anything, this move eases the pressure on Poles to find multiple solutions in free agency. He can now narrow his focus to perhaps one prominent starter at one of the other interior positions, then shift to preparing for the draft.
