Top 26 Chicago Bears of 2026: Jonah Jackson Remains an Unsung Hero on O-Line

Jonah Jackson's quiet excellence should not go unrecognized by Bears fans.

Chicago Bears G Jonah Jackson during the second half of a game at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

A big reason for the Chicago Bears' success in 2025 was its revamped offensive line. After three years of neglect, general manager Ryan Poles finally dedicated significant resources to this position group, starting with a trade for Jonah Jackson. At the cost of just a sixth-round pick, the Bears added a player who finished the 2025 season with a 71.4 Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade, the 19th best mark out of 81 guards.

It should come as no surprise then that Jackson checks in at No. 12 in Bears on SI's ranking of the Top 26 Chicago Bears for the 2026 season.

Chicago Bears kicker Jake Moody celebrates with guard Jonah Jackson. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The lesser of two great guards is still great

Jackson's addition was partly overshadowed by the Bears' massive trade for All-Pro guard Joe Thuney that same week, and he has since become largely an afterthought when discussing the Bears' dominant offensive line. That perception only deepened after Thuney became the NFL's inaugural Protector of the Year.

However, Jackson's contribution to Chicago's success in 2025 should not go unnoticed. Even as the 'lesser' of their two starting guards, he finished the year as one of the top guards in the NFL. There's a reason why head coach Ben Johnson likes to send his running backs to the right side of the offensive line, after all.

Alongside All-Pro right tackle Darnell Wright, who was recently ranked among the NFL's best offensive tackles by ESPN, Jackson has created a veritable wall of protection. Defenses have had to overload the right side of Chicago's line to have any chance of getting after quarterback Caleb Williams or stopping the run in that direction.

Chicago Bears G Jonah Jackson signs autographs prior to a game at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Jonah Jackson will play a much bigger role in 2026

While Jackson doesn't have to worry about the offensive lineman to his right, the Bears' current situation at center may make Jackson's job harder than it was a year ago. Last year, Jackson played next to center Drew Dalman, who ended 2025 as a Pro Bowler. Following Dalman's shocking retirement in March, the Bears traded for the Patriots' Garrett Bradburry and spend a second-round pick in the 2026 NFL draft on former Iowa center Logan Jones.

This complicates matters for Jackson, but gives him the opportunity to seize a bigger role in 2026. Without a Pro Bowl veteran to his left, Jackson is going to have to grow as a blocker and potentially pick up more rushers than he did last year. Logan Jones could very well be a standout rookie, but he'll still be a rookie, and Garrett Bradbury is a replacement-level talent, at best.

If the Bears are to build sustained success for the first time in many, many years, they'll need their offensive line to continue providing some of the best protection services in the NFL at all five positions. WIth left tackle and center already in flux, they can ill-afford a regression from their right guard, too. How Jackson performs in 2026 could go a long way towards determining what kind of season the Bears have.

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