Free agent profile: Why the decision to re-sign Jonah Jackson is a difficult one
Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Bringing back Jonah Jackson in 2024 may be a luxury that the Lions might not want to pay a premium for. The Detroit Lions have 32 total players from their 2023 roster who are set to become free agents in 2024 (20 unrestricted, 6 restricted, 6 exclusive-rights), and we are reviewing their what their expectations were coming into the 2023 season, how they performed, and ultimately their chances of returning to Detroit in 2024.
Here’s a look at our previously written free agent profiles: WR Josh Reynolds, WR Donovan Peoples-Jones, OG Graham Glasgow, OG Halapoulivaati Vaitai, OL Dan Skipper, EDGE Romeo Okwara, CB Emmanuel Moseley, and K Michael Badgley.
Next up we have starting left guard, Jonah Jackson.
Originally drafted by the previous regime in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft, Jackson spent four years at Rutgers before making the move to Ohio State as a graduate transfer in 2019.
Since arriving in Detroit, Jackson has been a mainstay for the Lions at left guard, and when healthy, is one of the better pulling-guards in football. And now that his rookie contract is up, the 27 year old is likely due a nice payday.
Jonah Jackson
Expectations heading into 2023
From the time Lions general manager Brad Holmes and coach Dan Campbell got here in 2021, they have been very deliberate with how they have built out their roster—particularly in the trenches.
Luckily for them, drafting offensive linemen was one of the few things their predecessors did well, leaving them established veterans along the offensive line like left tackle Taylor Decker, center Frank Ragnow, and left guard Jonah Jackson.
Heading into the final year of his rookie deal, everything was on the table for Jackson in terms of his demand could be once the season was over. He had already put a few years’ worth of good tape out there, and thanks to a strong finish in 2022—expectations were sky-high for the Lions’ highly touted offensive line.
On paper, most would tell you that the Lions had a top-five offensive line in the league, with the trick being to have everyone healthy and available at the same time. Because as good as the finish was for Jackson in 2022, he did miss four games earlier in the season after breaking a finger in practice.
Actual role in 2023
Note: PFF grades combine regular season and playoffs and reflect a minimum 20% snaps at that position
Regular season — 12 games (12 starts): Allowed 2 sacks, 8 hits, 14 hurries, and 24 pressures on 798 offensive snaps. Postseason — 2 games (2 starts): Allowed 3 hurries, 3 pressures on 83 offensive snapsPFF Offensive grade: 61.0 (34th of 83 qualifying guards)PFF Run blocking grade: 60.3 (35th of 83)PFF Pass blocking grade: 60.7 (38th of 83)
Similar to the year he had in 2022, Jackson missed time in 2023 as well—including five regular season games. On top of that, he also was knocked out of the divisional round win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a knee injury that required surgery, causing him to be sidelined during the NFC Championship game.
When he was on the field, there were moments when Jackson looked like a top-flight guard in football. It was often in those moments when the Lions’ offensive line finally looked like the Infinity Gauntlet it was built up to be. An overwhelming force that could bludgeon teams into submission when they really got things rolling.
Sandwiched in between Decker and Ragnow, Jackson excels in offensive coordinator Ben Johnson’s offense where he is able to use his plus-athleticism to pull down the line of scrimmage—allowing him to pick off defenders in space while he is out in front of ball-carriers. The Lions ask a lot of their guards, particularly when it comes to their multifaceted rushing attack that utilizes concepts from both zone and gap schemes.
Just like there were stretches of strong play, there were periods of not-so-good play from Jackson, too. Pass protection was an ongoing issue for Jackson in 2023, as he would go on to allow three or more pressures in six of the 14 games he appeared in.
Outlook for 2024
Contract status: Unrestricted free agent
The case for keeping Jackson:
It’s simple, really. We have seen just how potent this offense can look when the offensive line is really clicking. Running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery have giant holes to run through, and quarterback Jared Goff has clean pockets to operate from. Just the way Holmes and Campbell envisioned things when they made Penei Sewell the seventh overall pick in the 2021 draft: the offensive line really is the engine that makes this whole thing go.
The continuity built up over the years of playing with one another, and the case for keeping a strength a strength are two points in this argument that cannot be understated. If there is a way to keep Jackson in Detroit for the next few years, the Lions should absolutely explore all options.
The case for letting Jackson walk:
Unfortunately the case for letting Jackson walk in free agency is the aspect many fans don’t like hearing about—money.
The Lions’ offensive line is already expensive as it is. In 2023, no team spent more in cap space on their offensive line than the Lions. In the final year of his contract extension, Decker will carry a cap number of just over $19 million in 2024, with Ragnow checking in at $12.8 million. Throw in the fact that Sewell will soon be resetting the offensive tackle market, and you begin to see why this may end up being a difficult decision.
Let’s say that Jackson signs a deal where his cap number will be $12 million in 2024, putting him somewhere in the middle of the highest paid group of interior offensive linemen. The Lions would have over $50 million devoted to just four starters along the offensive line, with the possibility of that total being even higher—depending on who ends up at right guard with Glasgow also being an unrestricted free agent. Of course, the Lions could structure an extension to minimize Jackson’s cap hit early, but there is likely a time down the road in which Jackson, Ragnow, and Sewell could all have huge cap hits in the same season.
On top of the aforementioned salary cap ramifications, there is also the fact that the Lions own four picks in the top-100 selections in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit. Using one or even two of those picks to reinforce the offensive line would be a cheaper, more long-term play at maintaining the unit’s elite status.
Is there interest from both sides?
Yes, but this may be a case where the fit simply doesn’t work for both parties.
Would the Lions love to keep Jackson in house? Sure, keeping a good thing going makes sense in most walks of life, and certainly holds true on the offensive line. But just how much would they be willing to shell out to Jackson when they already have so much money tied to the rest of the line?
From Jackson’s perspective, he is 27 years old and coming off of a third-round rookie contract. In most cases, this is the time for a player to strike while the iron is hot. There may be a team out there that is looking to upgrade their left guard spot, and if they have plenty of money to throw at the problem, the Lions may quickly find themselves out of the running to retain Jackson’s services.
What about you? How do you think the Lions should approach Jonah Jackson this offseason?
