The Chicago Bears have been busy early into free agency, adding onto both their offensive and defensive lines. However, not everyone has been a fan of Chicago’s moves.
Not soon after he was released by the Atlanta Falcons, the Bears signed defensive tackle Grady Jarrett to a three-year, $43.5 million contract. A 10-year veteran, he is expected to fill a major hole in the middle of Chicago’s defensive line.
However, he struggled a bit coming back from injury in 2024. Because of that, the Bears received a D- grade from Sports Illustrated’s Matt Verderame for their Jarrett signing.
“The Chicago Bears have made a litany of good moves this offseason, but this is a questionable call at best,” Verderame wrote.
“Jarrett turns 32 years old in April and has been slowing down in recent seasons. In fact, over his past four campaigns, he has only once topped three sacks. Additionally, the Bears just finished paying Dayo Odeyingbo $48 million over three years to play alongside Gervon Dexter Sr.”
“It’s a big payday for Jarrett, who is at the point of his career where one-year deals are in order,” Verderame concluded.
A bit of caution surrounding Grady Jarrett
Jarrett isn’t getting younger and it’s fair to wonder what his NFL plans will be once his three-year Chicago pact is done. Furthermore, his 2024 performance didn’t necessarily jump out off the page.
Starting all 17 games, Jarrett made 53 tackles, 12 quarterback hits and 2.5 sacks. Jarrett earned just a 62.1 grade from Pro Football Focus, ranking 71/219 defensive lineman. His work against the pass was shoddy at best, earning a 60.6 grade, ranking 98/219 DLs.
The one piece of upside is that Jarrett didn’t miss a game. He was coming off of an ACL tear and proved that the injury is no longer an issue. Heading into his Bears tenure, availability will be one of Jarrett’s biggest strengths.
The defensive tackle isn’t considered the player he was when he was dominating in the Super Bowl. Still, Chicago is confident Jarrett has plenty of gas left in the tank.
How Jarrett fits on Chicago Bears
The Bears already have a budding offensive lineman in Gervon Dexter. He just set a new career-high with five sacks and looks to be in position to only gain more opportunities entering year three. But Dexter is still only 23-years-old.
Signing Jarrett gives Dexter a strong mentor to learn from. The veteran understands what it takes to succeed at a high level, and now Dexter will be able to see him operate up close. How the two bounce off each other will be key for the defensive line and entire defense.
When the pair meet in the middle, they’ll be tasked with slowing down opposing team’s run game. Chicago truly struggled in 2024, ranking 27th by allowing 354.3 yards per game. Grady Jarrett 6-foot, 300 pound frame will be critical in turning the run defense around.
Alongside anything he does on the gridiron, Jarrett will be tasked with helping build the Bears culture, not just for Dexter but the entire team. Ben Johnson wants Chicago to be a winning city again. Having a veteran presence like Jarrett who can help weather the storm will be an important tool. He will be leaned on heavily as a leader on the defensive side of the ball.
The Bears still have plenty of moves to make before their 2025 roster is finalized. Jarrett certainly won’t be the last addition to come with some scrutiny.
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