Jonah Jackson is significantly outplaying his $52 million Bears contract

When the Chicago Bears brought in Jonah Jackson last offseason, everyone knew he would be a very good player, but his 2026 season is off to a blazing start.

Jackson is outperforming his 2025 season, and that was already a solid season. The Bears may be dealing with injuries and concerns over the past two weeks, but Jackson has been steady and consistent early in the season.

While this may seem like a crazy idea, Jackson might actually be underpaid for what he is doing with the Bears right now. The tape and numbers suggest he could be the best player on the roster right now.

Jonah Jackson is outpacing what the Bears are paying him

This season, Jackson has allowed just two pressures and has committed no penalties. That's it. That's the stat line.

Pro Football Focus grades him a 91 overall, ranking him second in the NFL among 69 guards. He has a pass-blocking grade of 86.0, ranking third, and a run-blocking grade of 87.8, ranking fourth.

If Bears fans watch the tape of the 59-37 Week 1 win over the Carolina Panthers, they'll truly understand how great Jackson has been in 2026. Jackson and Darnell Wright bullied the Panthers' defensive line on the right side all game, leading to Jackson's 291-yard rushing performance.

While it's tough to watch the Week 2 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, Jackson was one of the few bright spots in that game. Most of the good runs in that game were because of Jackson and helping with the blocking. He was also the best in pass protection among the Bears' offensive linemen.

To add to the great season Jackson is having, SumerSports has that he has made the most impact plays as a run blocker in the NFL. He has made 10 on the year.

Jackson is currently in a three-year, $52 million contract with the Bears that runs through the 2027 season. Where does that rank in the NFL? 14th. He's not even in the top 10.

Tennessee Titans guard Peter Skoronski is the highest-paid guard in league history, with a four-year, $100 million contract. Seven guards in the NFL have contracts worth $20 million per year or more.

The Bears have a steal of a contract with Jackson, and they know it. Eventually, though, Jackson will need a new deal because he is criminally underpaid for the work he is doing with this team.

Everyone focuses on Joe Thuney, and rightly so, as one of the best guards in NFL history. What Jackson is doing in 2026, though, shows he needs to be in the conversation with the other top guards.

Read more: Dayo Odeyingbo is making Bears' $48 million investment in him look better

This will eventually catch up to the Bears at some point, but for now, they might have one of the NFL's best offensive lineman in 2026. Jackson is playing great football and shows zero signs of him slowing down at any point in the season.

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