By Kevin Fishbain, Adam Jahns and Jourdan Rodrigue
The Chicago Bears will acquire offensive lineman Jonah Jackson in a trade with the Los Angeles Rams, a league source confirmed Tuesday.
The trade will become official at the start of the league year on March 12.
To bolster the offensive line, Bears general manager Ryan Poles sent a sixth-round pick to Los Angeles, and the Bears will take on the entirety of Jackson’s contract, which runs through 2026. He’s due $17.5 million in 2025.
Jackson signed a three-year contract with the Rams last year but played in only four games during the 2024 season. A third-round pick by the Detroit Lions in 2020, Jackson started 57 games for Detroit from 2020 to 2023 and made the Pro Bowl in 2021 at left guard. New Bears coach Ben Johnson was the Lions’ passing game coordinator that season, and then was their offensive coordinator the next two seasons with Jackson starting up front.
How does this affect the Bears’ free-agency and draft plans?
One down, two to go? Three to go? The Bears still have needs along the offensive line to address in free agency and the draft, but by acquiring Jackson, they at least have one veteran in the fold — not to mention someone who should be familiar with the playbook.
Jackson is only 28 and can slide in at left guard. The salary makes me think he’ll get the first crack at starting in 2025, and it’s certainly not as expensive as Chiefs Pro Bowl guard Trey Smith would’ve been. The Bears still have the flexibility to add center Drew Dalman or guards Aaron Banks or Will Fries. They can still target LSU’s Will Campbell, Missouri’s Armand Membou or Alabama’s Tyler Booker in the draft.
Plan B offensive line options for the Bears with Trey Smith off the market
This is about putting resources into the line and building it in a way that will allow Johnson to run his offense the right way. When talking to opposing coaches at the combine, any conversation about who the Bears could add at running back or wide receiver, or how they could keep developing quarterback Caleb Williams, always came back to the offensive line. This is step one, and it should make the next steps a little easier, but there’s still work to do. — Kevin Fishbain, Bears beat writer
What this tells us about Ben Johnson and his offense
Adding Jackson — who played in only four games last season because of a shoulder injury — means trusting Johnson. The familiarity Johnson has with Jackson over four years together in Detroit helps negate any risk involved with the deal.
The Lions tried to re-sign Jackson last year, but he left for the Rams and a three-year, $51 million contract, which was agreed upon on the first day of the negotiation window. Detroit then signed veteran Kevin Zeitler to a one-year, $6 million deal to take Jackson’s place up front. The Lions later signed right tackle Penei Sewell and left tackle Taylor Decker to extensions.
Some reshuffling happened for the Lions after the moves. Graham Glasgow took over at left guard, where Jackson played, while Zeitler took over at right guard. Zeitler played well, while Jackson had a forgettable season with the Rams marred by his shoulder injury. — Adam Jahns, Bears beat writer
Why Jackson was expendable for the Rams
Jackson’s signing last March set off a chain reaction for the Rams that actually led them to their new starting center. Initially, left guard Steve Avila (who had a standout rookie season in 2023) moved to center to make room for Jackson at guard. Avila played that role deep into training camp until Jackson suffered an injury and Avila moved back to guard with the intent that Jackson play center. Jackson reinjured his shoulder in Week 2 (having moved to guard since Avila got injured in Week 1) and went to injured reserve.
Rookie sixth-round pick Beaux Limmer emerged as the Rams’ center and played well enough to secure the role even after Jackson came back from injured reserve midseason. Avila also returned to left guard, so the Rams had a $51 million offensive lineman who was not playing for them in Jackson.
The team gave Jackson permission to seek a trade as the offseason began, with the intent to offload his remaining salary. GM Les Snead applauded Jackson in recent comments for how well he handled the unusual situation as a teammate. Between re-signing left tackle Alaric Jackson to a three-year deal last week and moving Jonah Jackson, the offensive line is set for 2025 with all but veteran right tackle Rob Havenstein under contract for at least the next two seasons. — Jourdan Rodrigue, Rams beat writer
(Photo: Mark J. Rebilas / Imagn Images)
