Grading the Bears trade for Jonah Jackson

Mark Rebilas - USA Today Sports

Dustin Riese - Senior Writer - 1 day ago

In what has been one of the worst-kept secrets of the NFL offseason, the Chicago Bears have been looking for offensive line help. Whether that help comes from the draft, free agency, or the trade market is a different topic, but Ben Johnson is putting a massive emphasis on the trenches because he knows the Bears need to improve upfront.

Tuesday saw the Bears take a step in the right direction as they made their first significant move of the offseason, and to no one's surprise, it was a move made for the offensive line. The News broke during the lunch hour on Tuesday with the Los Angeles Rams trading Jonah Jackson to the Chicago Bears for a sixth-round pick.

You heard that right. The Bears got a Pro Bowl-caliber offensive lineman for only a sixth-round pick. Talk about a massive steal and one that could leave a lasting imprint on what this team does from here on out. While this deal can't become official until the NFL New Year on March 12, this is one of those moves that shouldn't shock anyone, as Jackson saw his name linked to the Bears for a while.

Much of that had to do with his previous connection to Johnson, his offensive coordinator, during his final days in Detroit until he signed a massive four-year deal with the Rams. Having Johnson in the building did play a role in Jackson's arrival, but Ryan Poles deserves a lot of respect for only giving up a sixth-round pick to get him.

The 28-year-old Jackson is in the middle of a three-year, $51-million deal and was granted permission to seek a trade as early as last week. That was Jackson's plan from the start, as this deal seemed to have been in the works since last week. It finally came full circle this week. Although Jackson was limited to just four games last season due to injuries, he did have an impressive run with Detroit, which is why he earned the contract he did on the open market.

A third-round pick by the Lions in the 2020 NFL draft, Jackson played in 57 games during his time in the motor city, all coming as starts. His best season came in 2021, during which he played 100 percent of the snaps and earned Pro Bowl honors for his efforts. According to Pro Football Focus’ grading scale, Jackson was an above-average guard during his final three years with the Lions.

That shows how durable Jackson typically is, but when healthy, he continues to be one of the best guards in the NFL. Given his prior connection to Johnson, it's easy to gauge why he chose to come to the Lions, and when you think about it in great detail, this is the perfect fit for both sides.

Even if Jackson isn't quite the player he was during his time in Detroit, he is still going to be a great run-blocking guard who can set the edge on the zone running schemes. Although pass-blocking isn't his strength, he has continued to be more than adequate in the pass-blocking game, as Caleb Williams will have tons more protection this season. However, the only way he can play up to his ability would be to be healthy, which is a question mark when you look at last season.

Grade A -: You can't help but give the Bears a high grade for this trade as Poles swung for the fences and hit a home run. When it comes to how this will help the Bears, they are not only getting one of the better guards in the league but also getting him at an age where he theoretically could sign a new deal once this is over.

Chicago is also getting him for practically free, as they didn't have to give anything but a sixth-round pick to get him. That alone is worth talking about, as the Bears managed to keep some of their higher-asset draft picks to continue to get better while also making a move that makes them better.