When the Chicago Bears signed Grady Jarrett to a three-year, $43.5 million contract, they added a trusted veteran who will plug up holes in the middle of the defensive line. While Jarrett will focus on the defense, it was the Bears’ offense that attracted him to Chicago in free agency.
Jarrett has spent his entire 10-year NFL career with the Atlanta Falcons. But after his release, the defensive tackle had to consider all of his options. Playing for a rising quarterback in Caleb Williams was something that certainly appealed to Jarrett.
It wasn’t long after that release that Jarrett had come to terms with the Bears. Now expected to take on a leadership role on defense, Jarrett is amped up to see the type of leader Williams is on offense, via Marquee Sports Network.
“You want to go somewhere where they have a good quarterback. To have a quarterback who’s the number one pick, is only going to get better. To have an offensive-minded coach that’s going to be able to spend time with him, be able to train him up.”
“He’s obviously had success,” Jarrett continued. “Caleb’s ceiling is super high. I’ve watched from afar, admired from afar since he’s been in college. I’m excited to play with him.
“You want to go somewhere they got a good quarterback.”
Grady Jarrett is excited about Caleb Williams 👏 pic.twitter.com/7keGHgKuDK
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) March 13, 2025
Grady Jarrett joins NFL world in watching Caleb Williams prosper
While they were playing in two separate divisions, Jarrett was able to pinpoint exactly what makes Williams special. On the flip side, he’ll now get a close-up look at where the quarterback failed as a rookie.
For starters, he was a sacked a league-high 68 times. Chicago has already aggressively attacked the issue, bringing in Jonah Jackson, Drew Dalman and Joe Thuney. Still, the most obvious thing is usually the biggest issue. Keeping Williams upright in the pocket will be crucial for him to develop in year two.
At the same time, the quarterback must learn not to hold onto the ball too long. While he can’t be blamed for every sack, sometimes his indecisiveness gave opposing defenses a bit extra time to get to the quarterback.
Now, Williams will have an actual offensive gameplan in place. Johnson will look to build his offense around Williams’ strengths and put him in a position to succeed. He’ll need to prove he can get over any early-career speed bumps, but at least Jarrett is confident that Williams will overcome.
What Jarrett offers Chicago Bears
Jarrett won’t have the opportunity to actually share the field with Williams, barring some elaborate trick play. But when he is on the field, Jarrett will be tasked with becoming a new leader on the defensive side of the ball.
Over his 10 years in Atlanta, Jarrett racked up 496 tackles, 126 quarterback hits, and 36.5 sacks. He was named to the Pro Bowl in 2019 and 2020. However, Jarrett is coming off of a 2024 performance that saw him muster 53 tackles, 2.5 sacks and 12 quarterback hits. He earned a 62.1 grade from Pro Football Focus, ranking 71/219 defensive linemen.
So as he comes to Chicago, Jarrett will be looking to prove himself. There will be plenty of washed allegations simply based on his age. But Jarrett has proven he can still break the line and get into the backfield. Playing next to a riser in third-year DT Gervon Dexter, he’ll be asked to shore up the defensive line and simply be a force in the middle.
Furthermore, Jarrett will be a leader. Alongside just winning football games, Johnson wants to create a new culture on the Chicago Bears. A veteran like Jarrett’s voice will carry a lot of weight whenever the Bears need a boost.
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