Less than a week before the NFL’s free-agent negotiating window opens, the Chicago Bears got out ahead of the game with a trade they hope can bolster their offensive line.
The Bears will acquire sixth-year interior lineman Jonah Jackson from the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for a sixth-round pick in this year’s draft, a league source confirmed to the Tribune on Tuesday.
Jackson, 28, signed a three-year, $51 million deal with the Rams in free agency last spring but made only four starts during the 2024 regular season while dealing with injury issues for much of his time in L.A.
He was recovering from offseason knee surgery when he joined the Rams, then suffered a shoulder injury during training camp, an issue that eventually sent him to injured reserve for seven weeks from mid-September until November.
Upon returning from IR, Jackson started at center and played all 70 snaps in the Rams’ 23-15 loss to the Miami Dolphins in Week 10. But he didn’t see the field again until the regular-season finale. He started that game at right guard as the Rams rested their starters in advance of the playoffs.
Jackson, a third-round pick in 2020, began his career in Detroit, where new Bears coach Ben Johnson was on the offensive staff, first as tight ends coach and then as passing game coordinator (2022) and offensive coordinator (2023). Johnson’s familiarity likely factored into the pursuit of Jackson, who went to the Pro Bowl in 2022 as an injury replacement.
He made 57 starts at guard during his four seasons with the Lions and earned a reputation as a strong locker-room presence. But Jackson has been bitten by the injury bug in each of the last three seasons, missing 15 games, something the Bears will have to consider as they continue to fortify their offensive line over the next two months.
Jackson’s contract includes a $9 million base salary for each of the next two seasons, making his acquisition a notable investment by the Bears of both draft capital and salary-cap space.
Once the trade is finalized, the Bears will be left with seven picks in the April 24-26 draft. They own the No. 10 selection plus three others in the top 75. Their remaining selections are a fifth-rounder and two seventh-rounders.
