The Los Angeles Rams have made a surprising move in the NFL by agreeing to trade offensive lineman Jonah Jackson to the Chicago Bears for a sixth-round pick in the upcoming draft. This information comes from a reliable source who spoke to The Associated Press on Tuesday under condition of anonymity, as the trade won’t be finalized until the start of the new league year next week.
Jackson’s departure from the Rams follows a disappointing season where he struggled to secure a starting position after signing a lucrative three-year, $51 million contract with Los Angeles as a free agent last spring. Having spent his first four NFL seasons with the Detroit Lions, Jackson was a Pro Bowl selection in the 2021 season.
Initially expected to fill the left guard position for the Rams, Jackson was shifted to center during training camp. Unfortunately, an injury to his shoulder in Week 2 sidelined him for almost two months. During his absence, rookie sixth-round pick Beaux Limmer stepped up as the starting center for the Rams. Upon Jackson’s return, he played only one game before being benched for the next eight weeks, with Limmer retaining the starting role.
The Bears, who are looking to revamp their offensive line with all three starting interior linemen entering free agency, will give Jackson a chance to compete for a spot. In the previous season, quarterback Caleb Williams was sacked a league-high 68 times, while Chicago’s rushing offense ranked 25th in the NFL with an average of 102.0 yards per game.
Meanwhile, the Rams seem to have their offensive line for the upcoming season mostly sorted out after re-signing left tackle Alaric Jackson to a three-year, $57 million deal recently. Left guard Steve Avila, Beaux Limmer, and right guard Kevin Dotson are all under contract, and head coach Sean McVay expressed confidence on Monday that right tackle Rob Havenstein will also remain with the team.
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