The Chicago Bears have gotten plenty of praise for their early offseason work. However, not everyone is a fan of how the Bears constructed their roster.
One of their most controversial moves came when Chicago signed defensive tackle Grady Jarrett to a three-year, $43.5 million contract. The deal came together mere hours after Jarrett was released by the Atlanta Falcons. Entering his age-32 season, Jarrett’s arrival certainly raised some eyebrows around the NFL.
Add Seth Walder of ESPN to the list of pundits skeptical of Jarrett’s deal. When it comes to ‘head scratching’ moves of the offseason, Walder put Jarrett’s pact with the Bears at the top of his list.
“I will give two here because there have been so many,” Walder wrote, “the Bears signing defensive tackle Grady Jarrett to a deal with $28.5 million fully guaranteed, and the Chiefs signing offensive tackle Jaylon Moore for two years, $30 million. Jarrett’s numbers have been declining for years, bottoming out at a 9% pass rush win rate last season (though he was coming off an ACL tear). As for Moore, there are spots in roster-building where taking risks makes sense. Patrick Mahomes’ left tackle is not one of them. Moore is somewhat of an unknown, but what we do know isn’t pretty. His 83% career pass block win rate would have ranked 63rd out of 67 tackle qualifiers last season.”
Take away Walder’s Moore argument, the analyst is essentially arguing that Jarrett got paid too much money for where he is at in his career. With almost $30 million guaranteed, it was a large investment for a player only getting older.
Grady Jarrett skepticism
Alongside his age, Jarrett’s play fell off a bit in 2024. There’s a reason the Falcons released him. While Jarrett was able to start all 17 games, he made 53 tackles, 12 quarterback hits and 2.5 sacks.
The defensive tackle earned a 62.1 overall grade from Pro Football Focus. His 61.5 run defense grade ranked 54/219 defensive linemen. But his 60.6 pass rush grade was even worse. Ultimately, Jarrett did not end his Falcons tenure with a bang.
Because of those numbers, it was a bit of a surprise to see the Bears pounce as quickly as they did. They were active early in free agency signing young players such as Drew Dalman and Dayo Odeyingbo. But including Jarrett in the spending spree could be deemed as a rash judgement.
Ultimately, the veteran defensive tackle has an opportunity to silence all the doubters. He will have heard all the noise talking about his demise and how the Bears paid him too much money. But a return to form for Jarrett will have him and the Bears sitting pretty come 2025.
How Jarrett helps Chicago Bears
Jarrett will need to be more stout up the middle. The Bears will be counting on the 6-foot-, 305-pounder to be a force against the run. Chicago finished 2024 ranked 28th in run defense, allowing 136.3 yards per game. The team knows they cannot be run all over in 2025.
Jarrett will also play a crucial role in helping boost both Odeyingbo and Montez Sweat. Both as ferocious pass rushers off the edge. But the interior of the offensive line having to focus on Jarrett will create an easier path to the quarterback. With Sweat leading the team with just 5.5 sacks in 2024, quarterback pressure will be key in Dennis Allen’s new system.
Furthermore, Jarrett will be a true leader on defense. Alongside a new gameplan, Ben Johnson is attempting to create a new culture in Chicago. Jarrett being a 10-year veteran gives him a valuable voice in the locker room. Rising players such as Gervon Dexter can look to Jarrett as a voice of inspiration and a calming presence when things get tough.
Ultimately, the Chicago Bears are confident Jarrett will be a strong addition to their defensive front. He has now become a key piece of Johnson’s foundation.
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