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In an unexpected turn of events, a former Detroit Lions starter is signing with a rival and will be back in the NFC North.

Seeing a former Detroit Lions player with another team, especially a rival team, can feel like watching an ex with a new love. If that’s the case for the Lions, the latest move made by Ben Johnson and the Chicago Bears may sting a bit.

A former Detroit Lions standout just got signed to the Bears by Johnson, so he’s being reunited with his former coach and a bevy of other former Detroit staffers.

Former Detroit Lions Offensive Lineman Back in NFC North

In a surprise turn of events, former Detroit Lions offensive lineman Jonah Jackson is heading back to the NFC North for the 2025 season. On Tuesday, March 4, ESPN expert and analyst Adam Schefter reported that the Los Angeles Rams are trading the longstanding lineman to the Chicago Bears in exchange for a 2025 sixth-round pick. The trade, he notes, can’t be processed until March 12, when the NFL’s 2025 season officially begins.

Jackson was selected in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft by Detroit. He inked a three-year, $51 million deal last offseason following a four year run with the Detroit Lions. However, Jackson only played in four games with the Rams during the 2024 season because of a shoulder injury that placed him on injured reserve. He was taken off injured reserve in Week 10 but didn’t appear in the Rams’ final games that season.

So, Lions fans will have to see Jackson on the field with their rival twice next season. The jury is out on whether this will be a good move for the Chicago Bears, but Johnson is familiar with Jackson’s playing style, so there’s a reason he reached out to the Rams and wanted to get him on the Bears’ squad.

Bears Pick Could Go Either Way

Mike Luciano of SideLion Report states in a March 4 piece that Jackson is “a bit of a lottery ticket at this point in his career.”

“While still effective when healthy, he hasn’t played more than 13 games in a season since 2021,” Luciano added. “Johnson and the Bears got him for pennies on the dollar due to those health risks.”

Luciano also notes that Jackson has only “given up just two sacks over the last three seasons, even with all the injuries,” so seeing that one of quarterback Caleb Williams‘ main issues is “being a penchant for holding onto the ball, Jackson could immediately help him correct this flaw.” Seeing the possibility of a good dynamic between Williams, who the Bears have a lot of stock in, and Jackson could easily be why Johnson wanted to take him on.

“Time will tell if Johnson is able to put together a convincing facsimile of the most efficient and creative offense in the league he helped create in Detroit,” Lucanio added. “If he fails, and the Jackson move ends up being a bust, the Lions can take solace in the fact that their division rival bungled it once again.”

The Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions, of course, have a lengthy rivalry. They’ve played each other 190 times, with the Bears winning 105 games and the Detroit Lions winning 80 games, according to the Football Database.