The Detroit Lions quickly became the talk of the NFL after offensive coordinator Ben Johnson helped build an electrifying offense centered around Jared Goff and a dominant offensive line, and it didn’t take long for the new Chicago Bears head coach to bring one of his former players to Illinois.

Johnson and the Bears traded for former Lions guard Jonah Jackson from the Los Angeles Rams, sending a 2025 sixth-round pick in return. This move comes just days after Jackson, who signed a three-year deal worth over $50 million in the offseason, was granted permission to explore a trade.

Not only did Johnson poach half of the Lions’ offensive coaching staff when he moved to the Bears, but now he’s taken his first former player with him. If Jackson can return to the form Lions fans saw over the past four years, this could be a concerning development.

Jackson only played four games last season due to injury and a benching, which might cloud his past success with the Lions for some. A Pro Bowl guard, Jackson had been a reliable starter for a Detroit team that built their offense around a powerful offensive line.

Picked in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft by Detroit, Jackson is somewhat of a risk at this stage of his career. Though still effective when healthy, he hasn’t played more than 13 games in a season since 2021. Johnson and the Bears got him at a bargain price due to those injury concerns.

Jackson has allowed just two sacks over the last three seasons despite the injuries. With Williams’ biggest issue being a tendency to hold onto the ball too long, Jackson could help him address this flaw right away.

Only time will tell if Johnson can recreate the most efficient and creative offense he helped build in Detroit. If things don’t work out, and the Jackson move proves to be a bust, the Lions can find comfort in knowing their division rival made another misstep.