The Chicago Bears had plenty of talent on offense when the offseason began, but they knew they could only do so much if quarterback Caleb Williams didn't have a clean pocket and a reliable running game.
The Bears went to great lengths to bolster the interior of the offensive line, signing veteran center Drew Dalman and trading for guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson. It's still early, but they might have already regretted adding the latter.
Through two games, Jackson has left plenty to be desired. From penalties, to constantly getting beaten, the former Los Angeles Rams guard hasn't looked like the $17.5 million-a-year stud the Bears hoped to get.
Bears OG Jonah Jackson Needs to Step Up
Jackson's first drive as a Bear may have been an omen of what's to come. He was called for two false starts against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1, and things didn't get much better after that. Williams was constantly running for his life, all while his right guard was constantly caught out of place.
All in all, Jackson was solely responsible for two of the Bears' 12 penalties in that game. He logged an abysmal 22.6 pass-block grade in 46 pass-block snaps (the second-worst among all guards), and he was only marginally better in run-block situations, logging a 44.8 run-block grade, per Pro Football Focus. His 31.0 overall grade left plenty to be desired.
Granted, he was much better in Week 2, logging a 68.2 PFF grade, and he didn't give up a single pressure in pass-block situations. He still had multiple missed assignments and wasn't much of a factor against the run, so it wasn't enough to change his outlook.
He's familiar with head coach Ben Johnson's system from their days together with the Detroit Lions, so he's likely going to keep him on a long leash and allow him to grow through his mistakes and get settled with his new teammates.
Then again, we're talking about someone who was signed to a $51 million contract extension before getting benched by the Los Angeles Rams, so chances are he's not going to get much better at this point in his career.
Jackson was once a Pro Bowler and looked like a solid addition on paper, yet, just like what has happened with Johnson through the first two weeks of the season, it doesn't seem like he's lived up to the hype. It's still early, but another dud in Week 3 should make this team have some uncomfortable decisions about their offseason addition.
Jackson may not be one of the top three Bears to blame for this 0-2 start of the season, but he certainly hasn't helped.