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.
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
