Jonah

Jackson

NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports that the Bears increased Jackson’s 2026 base salary guarantees to $7 million, with "$5.25 million more for injury.” He will also get “all $17.5 million he was slated to earn this season in the deal he [previously] signed with the Rams.” Sounds like a pretty hefty bag for a guy who played 267 snaps last year, but it’s not our money.

Jackson had been given permission to seek a trade after signing a three-year deal worth $51 million last offseason. Jackson started one game at center for the Rams after missing the first eight weeks of the regular season with a nagging shoulder injury. In Chicago, Jackson will join an offensive line graded by Pro Football Focus as last year’s eighth best pass blocking unit. He’ll rejoin Ben Johnson, who was Detroit’s offensive coordinator when Jackson played for the Lions in 2021. The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue reports the Bears will take on Jackson’s salary.

Jackson signed a three-year, $51 million contract with the Rams last offseason after spending the first four years of his career in Detroit. He suffered a shoulder injury before the season and re-aggravated it early in the year, causing him to miss roughly two months. Jackson started one game at center upon returning but was benched for the remainder of the season, save for a Week 18 start at right guard. The Rams can save $9 million in cap space by cutting him with a post-June 1 designation this offseason. Jackson, wanting to play out his current contract, is now searching for a team willing to foot the bill.

He’ll likely be in the starting lineup as the Rams finally get some of their opening day offensive line back for Monday night’s matchup against the Dolphins. Jackson aggravated a shoulder injury in Week 2 and has been out for nearly two months. Jackson started out at center for the Rams, then moved to guard in Week 2 before leaving.

The Rams’ offensive line is quietly trending toward a midseason turnaround after operating as one of the league’s worst units early on. Hopefully, Jackson can stack another full practice on Saturday and suit up for the first time since Week 2. Fellow OL Steve Avila (knee) likewise practiced in full on Thursday.

In addition to Jackson, the Rams also opened the return window for center Steve Avila. Both players will be eligible to come off injured reserve at any time and would provide immediate boosts to an offensive line that’s ranked 31st in PFF pass-blocking grades and 15th in PFF run-blocking grades. Jackson has been on injured reserve since reaggravating a shoulder injury in Week 2 that he dealt with throughout training camp.

Jackson dealt with a shoulder injury during training camp and reaggravated it in the Rams’ Week 2 loss to the Cardinals. He started Week 1 at center but was moved to left guard mid-game after Steve Avila went down with an injury of his own. That’s now three LA offensive linemen who have landed on injured reserve in the first two weeks of the season. Down 60 percent of their starting line and both of their superstar receivers, things are already looking bleak for the Rams.

It sounds like Jackson is going to end up on injured reserve, which would sideline him until at least Week 8. The Rams’ left guard missed most of training camp with a shoulder issue. It’s a brutal, brutal blow for an already decimated and under-performing Rams offensive line. It’s frankly looking like a lost season in Los Angeles.

Per Schefter, Jackson “has a chance to return for the start of the regular season.” He was spotted at practice with a sling around his left arm on Wednesday. The Rams signed Jackson to a three-year, $51 million contract in the offseason. Though this isn’t a disastrous outcome, it’s not the news Sean McVay wants as he looks to center his offense around an elite passing attack headlined by one of the league’s best duos in Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp. As long as Jackson is back early in the season, this injury shouldn’t slow down the Rams’ offense too much.

Jackson was expected to fetch a big number on the open market, and will get $34 million in guaranteed money on this new deal. He will likely play opposite guard Kevin Dotson, who recently re-signed with the team for three years and $48 million. Jackson was limited by ankle and knee injuries last season, appearing in only 12 games, but when healthy, Jackson is among the top guards in the league. Jackson allowed two sacks on 24 pressures last season and was named to the Pro Bowl in 2021.