One of the Bears biggest offseason acquisitions is being set up to fail

With protecting Caleb Williams better and having a more proficient run game in mind, the Chicago Bears reconstructed the interior of their offensive line during the offseason.

Trades for guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson came along with the signing of free agent center Drew Dalman. Thuney and Jackson were also given contract extensions after being acquired.

Jackson spent the first four seasons of his career (2020-2023) with the Detroit Lions, so that history with head coach Ben Johnson informed the trade to acquire him from the Los Angeles Rams. Before injuries hampered him the following two seasons, and paved the way for him to leave Detroit in 2024 free agency, Jackson was a Pro Bowler in 2021.

In Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings, to be kind, the Bears' new interior offensive line trio struggled. Thuney and Dalman both posted Pro Football Focus run blocking grades below 60 and they each allowed four quarterback pressures.

But Jackson was particularly bad against the Vikings. PFF credited him with five pressures allowed, while giving him a pass blocking grade of 22.6 and a run blocking grade of 44.8. The eye test backed that data up, and he also had two false starts.

After that almost incomprehensibly bad performance, and yes it was only one game, it's worth wondering how firm Jackson's hold on the starting job at right guard is (or should be).

Is Jonah Jackson being set up to fail?

The Rams gave Jackson a notable free agent contract, presumably to play guard. After an injury sidelined him for several games early last season, he returned to the lineup as the starter at center in Week 10. The position wasn't completely foreign to him, with 24 snaps there during his rookie season, but it was not surprising when it didn't go very well.

Jackson did not see the field again until the regular season finale, when he started at right guard. He posted a 91.8 overall PFF grade in that game against the Seattle Seahawks, highlighted by a 91.6 run blocking grade.

Jackson's Pro Bowl campaign in 2021 was as the Lions' left guard. His play eroded in the couple of seasons after that, however, driven by being banged up a good bit.

Before noting his poor Week 1 performance, Bears analyst Clay Harbor highlighted Jackson's career snap split leading up to this season.

145 of those 2011 right guard snaps before this season for Jackson came during his rookie season, and the other 66 came in that aforementioned start for the Rams in last year's regular season finale. Counting Week 1, that career snap total at right guard is now at 277.

When an offensive lineman moves to the opposite spot they've been playing, left guard to right guard or left tackle to right tackle, everything is opposite: footwork, hand placement. etc. Jackson has been a left guard by trade for most of his career, and a mostly effective one at that. The Rams used him at center and then right guard last year, and now the Bears have acquired him and moved him to right guard.

Thuney is well-established as one of the best left guards in the league, so acquiring him was a fine move by the Bears. However, in their search for a veteran right guard, adding someone who has actually played the position a lot might have been a good idea. A strong performance, at least by PFF grades, in one less-than-meaningful game at the end of last season, is not enough to say Jackson was the answer there.

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Jackson's bad Week 1 performance is undeniably on him first and foremost. But the Bears are not exactly putting him position to succeed either, as they've wedged him into where their need was over where he is most capable (and presumably most comfortable).