Bears trade ‘25 6th to LAR for G Jonah Jackson

[UOK]

The #Bears are trading a sixth-round pick to the #Rams for former Pro Bowl guard Jonah Jackson, and @jacobinfante.bsky.social has the details here:

https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2025/ ... ree-agency

[wab]

[Arkansasbear]

If that's all we gave up for him (along with $17M in salary), I'd say it's a good move. Whoever we got with the pick had very little chance of having an impact this year, heck, maybe even making the active roster.

Just have to hope that Johnson's insight into him turns out to be correct.

[LacertineForest]

If that's all we gave up for him (along with $17M in salary), I'd say it's a good move. Whoever we got with the pick had very little chance of having an impact this year, heck, maybe even making the active roster.

Just have to hope that Johnson's insight into him turns out to be correct.

Albert Breer's post about it made it sound like the Bears only owe him $9MM in salary for this year and $17MM (non-guaranteed) next year. Seems like good value, especially if he's anywhere near a pro-bowl player.

[HurricaneBear]

Was this the guy that was described as another teams Nate Davis?

[dplank]

Was this the guy that was described as another teams Nate Davis?

Yes

[wab]

Was this the guy that was described as another teams Nate Davis?

Yes

Hard disagree. By all accounts he was a great teammate and fought to get back on the field.

Yes he was overpaid and didn't produce the way LA thought and became expendable, but he's not a turd like Davis.

[thunderspirit]

Was this the guy that was described as another teams Nate Davis?

Yes

Yes, but that comparison is largely based on the contract, not on the player.

[HisRoyalSweetness]

Interesting that he was a LG in Detroit. I wonder if that's where they see him playing for the Bears? That would move the focus of free agency and the draft to RG.

[wab]

Interesting that he was a LG in Detroit. I wonder if that's where they see him playing for the Bears? That would move the focus of free agency and the draft to RG.

Free agents that started at RG last season:
Alex Cappa
Kevin Zeitler
Mekhi Becton
Brandon Scherff
Will Hernandez
Dalton Risner
Liam Eichenberg
Will Fries

And our very own Matt Pryor.

Other noteables...

Royce Newman was a starter at RG for the Packers. Ben Bredeson started at LG for the Bucs but was drafted by the Giants at RG.

Aaron Banks has played both LG and RG.

[HisRoyalSweetness]

Jackson, who signed a three-year, $51 million contract with the Rams in March 2024, is scheduled to make $17.5 million in salary during the 2025 season. Chicago is taking on the entirety of Jackson's salary as part of the trade, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

A shoulder injury limited Jackson to four games last season where he took snaps at left guard, center and right guard. He missed most of training camp after sustaining the injury in late July and returned for the start of the regular season before aggravating his shoulder in Week 2 and landing on injured reserve. Jackson played in one game after returning from IR and then was benched.

In his end-of-season news conference, Rams head coach Sean McVay said he really appreciated how professionally Jackson handled his 2024 season in Los Angeles.

"I really appreciate Jonah on how he handled [the situation]," McVay said in January. "A starting-level player ... there are a lot of teams that would love to have Jonah Jackson at guard. ... He put the team first in terms of just showing up, going to work and being a really good 'scout teamer.'"
...

Jackson was given permission to seek a trade last week, a source confirmed to ESPN. Prior to joining the Rams last offseason, Jackson logged 57 starts for Detroit from 2020-23.

Full article: https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/441 ... ckson-rams

[Grizzled]

I was against a trade but thought they'd have to give up a 3rd for him. A 6th is a pretty small price. Johnson and Roushar must feel they can get the most out of him. If they put him at LG, I'd have to think they're not drafting a rookie at LT.

[UOK]

He’s kind of Teven Jenkins 2.0.

[dplank]

I’m sorry to say this but this looks like a terrible move. We are eating the full contract - a contract that LA was trying to unload due to poor performance relative to cost. If we got him at half this cost then fine, but this will now count as our “big move” on the OL most likely. Id much much rather have just signed Fries. And we better get Dalman or Myers or the pitchforks are coming out.

[dplank]

Yes

Yes, but that comparison is largely based on the contract, not on the player.

Why do you say this? He was just signed last offseason to a big contract, then promptly sat out the entire season. Gabriel made the Nate Davis comp and it seems on point.

Think of how pissed we all were about Bates. He was their Bates but at 4x the cost.

[LacertineForest]

Yes, but that comparison is largely based on the contract, not on the player.

Why do you say this? He was just signed last offseason to a big contract, then promptly sat out the entire season. Gabriel made the Nate Davis comp and it seems on point.

Think of how pissed we all were about Bates. He was their Bates but at 4x the cost.

Bates was always a backup guy though - Jackson has been to a pro bowl player and Ben Johnson has history with him. I have to believe that Ben was the driving force behind the move to get him.

[Magilla_Gorilla]

Yes, but that comparison is largely based on the contract, not on the player.

Why do you say this? He was just signed last offseason to a big contract, then promptly sat out the entire season. Gabriel made the Nate Davis comp and it seems on point.

Think of how pissed we all were about Bates. He was their Bates but at 4x the cost.

By all accounts - from several beat writers and Sean McVay himself - he was great teammate who had some bad luck with injuries. No one has accused him of sitting out practices for anything other than injury and the stories coming out are that he was a great teammate who even actively participated on scout team when asked. The only person actively shitting on Jackson is Greg Gabriel and he doesn't even know what position Jacksopn played (seriously, check out Gabriel having another meltdown on twitter (and threatening to fight someone) because he refuses to admit he was wrong about Jackson being a LG).

As for 'taking on the contract' - its for one year, none of next years money is guaranteed so the Bears could cut him and not owe him anything nor have any dead cap.

[thunderspirit]

Why do you say this? He was just signed last offseason to a big contract, then promptly sat out the entire season. Gabriel made the Nate Davis comp and it seems on point.

Think of how pissed we all were about Bates. He was their Bates but at 4x the cost.

By all accounts - from several beat writers and Sean McVay himself - he was great teammate who had some bad luck with injuries. No one has accused him of sitting out practices for anything other than injury and the stories coming out are that he was a great teammate who even actively participated on scout team when asked. The only person actively shitting on Jackson is Greg Gabriel and he doesn't even know what position Jacksopn played (seriously, check out Gabriel having another meltdown on twitter (and threatening to fight someone) because he refuses to admit he was wrong about Jackson being a LG).

As for 'taking on the contract' - its for one year, none of next years money is guaranteed so the Bears could cut him and not owe him anything nor have any dead cap.

This.

There's no evidence that Jackson is a moody malcontent like Davis. And it's a flyer for one year for a 6th rounder.

It may not pan out, but the apparent reward of a competent starter at one guard position is worth a 6th round risk.

[wab]

Yes, but that comparison is largely based on the contract, not on the player.

Why do you say this? He was just signed last offseason to a big contract, then promptly sat out the entire season. Gabriel made the Nate Davis comp and it seems on point.

Think of how pissed we all were about Bates. He was their Bates but at 4x the cost.

He didn't "sit out" he broke his scapula.

[UOK]

The thing that makes this guy not Bates, Jenkins, or Davis is that he has played directly in this offense. He'll come in immediately knowing the vernacular, scheme tendencies, etc.

[Magilla_Gorilla]

[thunderspirit]

Why do you say this? He was just signed last offseason to a big contract, then promptly sat out the entire season. Gabriel made the Nate Davis comp and it seems on point.

Think of how pissed we all were about Bates. He was their Bates but at 4x the cost.

He didn't "sit out" he broke his scapula.

And came back ready to play after it healed, which is something we're still waiting for Davis to do.

Again, it may blow up in the Bears' collective faces, but it's basically Nate Davis' money reallocated and tacking on an additional year.

[Hoog]

Just want to add this here. Detroit fans and radio were not sad to see him go. He basically had one good year. John Janssen, former OL and radio host, basically called him soft and said good riddance. He is very injury prone and never really impressed me all that much. Eating his whole contract really hurts! BJ knows him well, so lets hope he knows what he's getting into.

[wab]

Just want to add this here. Detroit fans and radio were not sad to see him go. He basically had one good year. John Janssen, former OL and radio host, basically called him soft and said good riddance. He is very injury prone and never really impressed me all that much. Eating his whole contract really hurts! BJ knows him well, so lets hope he knows what he's getting into.

Very injury prone? He's missed 7 games prior to his injury last year.

"FIX THE LINES!"

*Bears trade throwaway pick for 28yr old former pro bowl player with high performing experience in the new system*

"....oh no not like that"

[wulfy]

If Greg Gabriel hates it, I love it!

In all seriousness, Ben knows the guy - it's not like Nate Davis who had no connection to the coaching staff at the time.

In Ben I Trust (until I don't).

[Moriarty]

Jackson knows the offense* (although, remember, Ben also promised to rebuild an offense from scratch and everyone celebrated and loved it)
player and HC are familiar
Experienced
1 good year in Detroit


He's played 29 out of a possible 51 games the last 3 season. 15 misses due to injury, 7 due to getting beat out by a rookie 6th rounder (which is also a Bad Thing) - a rookie who graded out fairly poorly on PFF, and JJ wasn't much better and wasn't great in 2023, either (also Not Good).
The apparent price tag of 17.5 is roughly market value, possibly even more than he could get this year as a free agent. There is no discount here, probably a modest overpay.
You're giving a late pick
It's a great draft for guards



So, in sum, the Rams get total cap relief from a guy they didn't want starting anymore. And receive a late pick.
The Bears give a late pick for the privilege of taking on a dubious contract.


Gotta score this one as a win for the Rams.
Yes, it could work out well for the Bears. But the odds and numbers are tilted against you.

[thunderspirit]

I'm not some huge Jonah Jackson fan, but I think people are going to be surprised at the cost to play at the top of the free agent market this year. $17.5M per is gonna seem cheap come March 14.

[Moriarty]

Just want to add this here. Detroit fans and radio were not sad to see him go. He basically had one good year. John Janssen, former OL and radio host, basically called him soft and said good riddance. He is very injury prone and never really impressed me all that much. Eating his whole contract really hurts! BJ knows him well, so lets hope he knows what he's getting into.

Very injury prone? He's missed 7 games prior to his injury last year.

"FIX THE LINES!"

*Bears trade throwaway pick for 28yr old former pro bowl player with high performing experience in the new system*

"....oh no not like that"

And so?


A lot of Poles' attempts to fix things deserved a "NOT LIKE THAT!" response.
Chase Claypool.
arguably D'Andre Swift
arguably Keenan Allen
Nate Davis.


There's no reason this can't be another such instance.

[Moriarty]

I'm not some huge Jonah Jackson fan, but I think people are going to be surprised at the cost to play at the top of the free agent market this year. $17.5M per is gonna seem cheap come March 14.

It will get topped by plenty of people no doubt.


But not by anyone who lost their job to a bad rookie.
17.5 is still far more than I'd ever consider giving him if he were a pure FA.

[wab]

Jackson knows the offense* (although, remember, Ben also promised to rebuild an offense from scratch and everyone celebrated and loved it)
player and HC are familiar
Experienced
1 good year in Detroit


He's played 29 out of a possible 51 games the last 3 season. 15 misses due to injury, 7 due to getting beat out by a rookie 6th rounder (which is also a Bad Thing) - a rookie who graded out fairly poorly on PFF, and JJ wasn't much better and wasn't great in 2023, either (also Not Good).
The apparent price tag of 17.5 is roughly market value, possibly even more than he could get this year as a free agent. There is no discount here, probably a modest overpay.
You're giving a late pick
It's a great draft for guards



So, in sum, the Rams get total cap relief from a guy they didn't want starting anymore. And receive a late pick.
The Bears give a late pick for the privilege of taking on a dubious contract.


Gotta score this one as a win for the Rams.
Yes, it could work out well for the Bears. But the odds and numbers are tilted against you.

I know you generally don't like...anything...but leaving out his first two years seems like cherry picking.

16 games in 2020
16 games in 2021
13 games in 2022
12 games in 2023

Missed the majority of the season last year. Also...saying he was benched for Limmer is pretty disingenuous. Limmer is a center. Jackson is as much of a center as Braxton Jones.

For someone who rails on the idea of playing Bates at center, Jackson has literally never played there before. At least Bates has snaps there.

And how many players do you hear of breaking their shoulder blade. Such a weird and uncommon injury. I'm not super excited about the money he's set to get, but the trade seems pretty good all things considered.

Jackson would have been the 2nd or 3rd rated free agent guard if he'd been released.