What a year it has been for the Detroit Lions and their offensive line. They've had a different combination of players in nearly every single game this season. One player that was expected to be stable part of this line this year is Jonah Jackson. He's in a contract year and the expectation was that he would continue his Pro Bowl level play and get a major extension after the season. That's not happened at all.
What has happened is that Jackson has been injured multiple times and when he's on the field, he's playing some of the worst football of his career.
You've been somewhat used to Jackson having some really good days and then some off days during the previous three seasons he'd been here. It was more of the former though. Jackson would look elite a lot more than he wouldn't. In 2022 he didn't allow a single sack for example. He allowed 26 pressures in 13 games.
This year he's a allowed a sack and 17 pressures in eight games and 331 less snaps. He's also on a five game streak of PFF grades that are in the 50's or lower. It's been a rough go for him this year. Here's each game he played and how he graded out:
- Vs Packers: 58.1
- Vs Panthers: 53.1
- Vs Chargers: 56.3
- Vs Saints: 48.8
- Vs Bears: 56.7
I will say that he had decent pass blocking grades in the last two games. He had a 72.8 against the Saints and an 84 against the Bears. Everything else is mid 60's or lower all year long. His highest run blocking grade in that period is 59.9.
The big thing though is the availability. Jackson has had two stretches this season where he had to miss time. He's missed a total of five games this year and four games last year. They need him to be there on game day and it's just not happening.
I don't know how the Lions proceed from here. You can sign him to a big deal or you can take your chances and move on in the draft or free agency. For a team that has so many needs on the other side of the ball, it might be in their best interest to part ways with Jackson and use that money to continue to bulk up the defense and use a draft asset to fill Jackson's space. We'll see what happens in March. Unless, of course, Jackson balls out in the next four games and the playoffs.
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