Chicago Bears trade for Pro Bowl OL Ben Johnson is familiar with

The Chicago Bears are set to have one part of the offensive line taken care of before free agency begins this month. The Bears entered March knowing they needed to add one or two starting offensive linemen before April’s draft.

The Bears need help in the trenches on both sides of the ball. On Tuesday, the Bears took care of an interior offensive line position.

The Chicago Bears trade for OL help

Per Courtney Cronin of ESPN, the Bears are sending a 2025 sixth-round pick to the Los Angeles Rams for Jonah Jackson.

“Bears are in the process of trading for Jonah Jackson and sending a 2025 6th to the Los Angeles Rams,” Cronin wrote. “One major need on the OL is addressed before free agency begins. Jackson played both center and right guard last year.”

Bears are in the process of trading for Jonah Jackson and sending a 2025 6th to the Los Angeles Rams. One major need on the OL is addressed before free agency begins. Jackson played both center and right guard last year. https://t.co/UWWUj2X26i

— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) March 4, 2025

Jonah Jackson is familiar with Ben Johnson

The Detroit Lions selected Jackson with the No. 75 pick in the 2025 draft. He played with the Lions through 2023, so he’s familiar with Ben Johnson, who served as his offensive coordinator in 2022 and 2023.

Jackson signed a three-year deal with the Rams worth $51 million last March. He played and started in four games for the Rams in 2024 after suffering a shoulder injury in training camp. He aggravated the issue in Week 2 and was placed on injured reserve.

Los Angeles permitted Jackson to seek a trade in February. The former Ohio State standout made the Pro Bowl in 2021. At 28, the six-foot-four, 311-pound athlete has started in 61 games.

Per Pro Football Focus, Jackson earned a 67.5 overall grade for his play in 2024. In 2,416 career pass-blocking snaps, Jackson has given up 11 sacks and 129 pressures. He’s typically earned higher grades for run blocking than he has for pass blocking.

The trade didn’t cost the Bears much in terms of draft capital. Giving up the equivalent of what they received for Justin Fields to gain a starting guard is a good deal indeed.

The only risk is if he can’t return to the same player he was before the shoulder injury and Chicago wastes money on a $17 million per year OL that sits on the bench as he did for the Rams at the end of 2024.

Jackson does have an out on his contract in 2026. He’d account for a $5.6 million dead cap hit, per Spotrac.

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