The Chicago Bears looked to rebuild the trenches under new head coach Ben Johnson this offseason, as they looked to create a better environment for franchise quarterback Caleb Williams.
They made a big splash in free agency, signing former Atlanta Falcons center Drew Dalman to a three-year deal, while making two trades to retool their interior offensive line, which struggled a year ago.
The bigger addition was former Kansas City Chiefs guard Joe Thuney, whom the Bears got for a 2026 fourth-round pick. The more intriguing move, however, was the trade for Los Angeles Rams guard Jonah Jackson, whom the Bears got for a 2025 sixth-round pick.
With the draft coming up, let’s look at the Jackson trade and see the return on both sides.
Original Jonah Jackson trade terms
Chicago receives: OL Jonah Jackson
Los Angeles receives: 2025 sixth-round pick
What did the Rams do with the pick they got for Jonah Jackson?
The Rams traded the pick as part of a package to move up to 172 to take Chris Paul Jr. Then the Minnesota Vikings picked Pitt TE Gavin Bartholomew.
While Chicago is sending out the pick, it is not their own sixth-round pick, but rather one they received from the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Justin Fields trade.
The sixth-rounder has moved hands multiple times, though, as the Steelers initially received it from the Houston Texans for offensive lineman Kendrick Green back in 2023.
How did each team fare from the Jonah Jackson trade?
Looking at the trade itself, it was a bit of a surprise move on the Bears’ behalf to flip a draft pick for Jonah Jackson, although the offensive lineman has familiarity with new head coach Ben Johnson stemming back to their Detroit Lions days.
Jackson really struggled in his first year with the Rams after signing a three-year, $51 million deal, playing in just four games. With his inactivity and large contract, it was unclear whether the guard would be able to fetch anything on the trade market, but the Bears took on his deal to add a veteran piece to their offensive line.
They reworked Jackson’s contract this offseason, handing him a three-year, $52.5 million deal that includes $29.75 million guaranteed at signing. He carries a cap hit of $14 million in 2025, $25 million in 2026, and $17 million in 2027.
The Rams were able to get off the hefty Jackson contract without taking on any of the money. To even get draft compensation in return is a steal for them, even if the offensive lineman pans out well for Chicago in a familiar system.