Jonah Jackson got his payday, and it wasn’t with the Detroit Lions.

Jackson, the Lions’ top free agent this offseason, agreed to a three-year, $51 million deal with the Los Angeles Rams on Monday, the Free Press confirmed. He’s now one of the highest-paid guards in the NFL, and will earn $34 million guaranteed.

In Los Angeles, Jackson, 27, will protect former Lions teammate Matthew Stafford as part of a refortified offensive front. The Rams re-signed right guard Kevin Dotson to a three-year, $48 million deal last week.

The Lions will host the Rams at Ford Field this season, as part of their loaded 2024 schedule as NFC North champions.

Jackson was a Lions third-round pick out of Ohio State in 2020, and started all 57 games he played in over the past four seasons. He made the Pro Bowl in 2021, but missed nine regular season games with an assortment of injuries across the past two years.

Jackson’s departure means the Lions will return four-fifths of one of the NFL’s best offensive lines this fall. Right guard Graham Glasgow agreed to a three-year, $20 million contract before the start of the free agent negotiating period Monday, and tackles Taylor Decker and Penei Sewell and center Frank Ragnow are signed through at least 2024.

The Lions have two potential in-house replacements for Jackson in second-year lineman Colby Sorsdal and exclusive rights free agent Kayode Awosika, or could look to fill the vacancy through free agency or the draft.

Awosika started three regular season games for the Lions last season and the team’s NFC championship game loss to the San Francisco 49ers, when Jackson was out with a knee injury.