The Chicago Bears have been in training camp for a few weeks now, and the battles have taken full force on the field. With a new coaching staff and scheme implemented, these practices are critical to get valuable reps in before the 2025 regular season begins.
Quarterback Caleb Williams has been up and down through Bears camp, but that's to be expected as head coach Ben Johnson has thrown a lot on his plate. Meanwhile, other players need to step things up, and guard Jonah Jackson is one of them.
Bears RG Jonah Jackson off to Slow Start in Training Camp
Jackson suffered a leg injury last week that forced him to miss several practices. He returned to the field on Sunday but was relieved by Ryan Bates for two consecutive practice sessions.
Jackson quickly limped back into the building on Aug. 2, according to Bears insider Brad Biggs, indicating he still isn't fully recovered from what had him on the sideline.
RG Jonah Jackson's return to practice was brief. He was limping and went back into the building early. TE Jordan Murray also left practice early. Ryan Bates continues to get 1st team reps at RG and he also did some snapping today.
— Brad Biggs (@BradBiggs) August 2, 2025
That isn't what Chicago wanted when they shipped out a 2025 sixth-round pick to the Los Angeles Rams for Jackson. Shortly after the deal, he signed a one-year extension, keeping him signed in Chicago through 2027. Just last offseason, he inked a three-year, $51 million deal with the Rams, but he only played in four games for them.
The 2024 season was a disaster for Jackson. He first suffered a shoulder injury in training camp that made him miss the majority of the summer. Jackson returned, but aggravated it in Week 2 and was placed on injured reserve. He returned for a few games before getting benched. According to Pro Football Focus, he had a 67.5 overall grade (40th among 136 graded guards), 59.3 pass blocking grade (82nd among 136 graded guards), and a 68.8 run blocking grade (41st among 136 graded guards).
Before last year, Jackson missed at least four games during the 2022 and 2023 seasons as a member of the Detroit Lions. That's where he crossed paths with Johnson and likely played a role in the Bears' decision to bring him to the Windy City.
The offensive line was the biggest area of weakness for this team, and Chicago made it a priority to improve that group. While that group looks good on paper, Chicago clearly thought Jackson would be part of the transformation since they extended him before playing a snap.
Jackson's missing time isn't ideal. The offensive line added Jackson, Joe Thuney, and Drew Dalman to the fold, so they need reps together to build that continuity and comfort level next to each other.
Each practice he misses only makes things harder for him when he comes back. This is something to watch for the Bears, but Jackson isn't off to the right footing this summer.