Offensive lineman Jonah Jackson was headed towards another murky season with the Los Angeles Rams. While he was making plenty of money, his fit inside the organization didn’t seem to make sense. But Jackson’s 2025 prospects changed when he got a call from the Chicago Bears.
Now, he’ll have an opportunity to return to his natural position, playing under a head coach he has experience with in Ben Johnson. Jackson will certainly have to prove himself, and his trade came with quite a bit of flack. However, his prospects in Chicago at least look much brighter than they did in Los Angeles.
But the Bears didn’t just stop at Jackson. Joining him is four-time Super Bowl champion Joe Thuney. Jackson couldn’t believe what he was hearing when he was told he’d be playing alongside Thuney, via Adam Jahns of The Athletic.
“He was like, ‘[Joe] Thuney too!” Jackson said. “I was like, ‘Oh shoot, this is legit.’ That is a decorated veteran, a guy that makes it look pretty every week. So I’m excited to be a teammate with him.”
Overall, Jackson couldn’t be more ecstatic about his new situation in Chicago.
“They said, ‘The Bears,'” Jackson said. “And I was like, ‘OK, cool. The perfect situation.”
Jonah Jackson re-teams up with Ben Johnson on Chicago Bears
Johnson was a driving force in getting Jackson to the Bears. As he begins to craft his offense, he knows he needs a strong offensive line in front of Caleb Williams. And while Jackson may not be the first name fans think of, he’s a player Johnson knows he can trust.
Jackson played under the new head coach of the Detroit Lions from 2020-2023. He was named to the Pro Bowl in 2021, a fact that Johnson doesn’t want anyone to forget anytime soon.
“The guy’s a Pro-Bowl caliber guard, ” Johnson said. “So that’s what we’re going to get out of him.”
With the Rams, Jackson was forced to move to center, a position he had never played before. Then, a sudden injury cut his season short. He never truly found his footing with the Rams and stumbled out of favor.
But now, Jackson is in a position to thrive. He’ll be at right guard for the Bears, a spot that has given the team plenty of trouble through the years. Johnson is at least confident Jackson will be the one to solidify it.
Bears stack line next to Jackson
Jackson was just the appetizer to what Chicago had planned for their offensive line. The team then traded for Thuney before signing center Drew Dalman to a $42 million contract.
Jackson almost gave Thuney enough of an introduction, but alongside his four Super Bowl rings the guard has been named to the Pro Bowl thrice and is coming off back-to-back All-Pro seasons. He has climbed to the NFL’s mountaintops and has remained one of the league’s best guards. For a Bears team looking to change their culture, Thuney’s veteran leadership will be paramount to success.
Dalman comes to the Bears after spending his entire NFL career thus far with the Atlanta Falcons. Injuries held the center to just nine games in 2024. However, he still ranked fourth/64 centers with a 78.8 grade from Pro Football Focus. Dalman was considered the best center available in free agency. The fact the Bears pounced as quickly as they did showed how valuable they view him to the offensive line.
Overall, Chicago left no stones unturned in keeping Caleb Williams upright in the pocket. Jackson has soaked in everything that comes with a new trade. Once he locks back in, he’s ready to get back to playing Johnson’s offense and blocking every rusher in his path.
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