The Chicago Bears have assembled a roster catered to how Ben Johnson wants to operate. And judging by their moves this offseason, the new head coach wants to win in the trenches on both sides of the ball. Chief among the team's notable additions is veteran defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, formerly of the Atlanta Falcons.
Not too long ago, Jarrett was among the best interior linemen in football. At 23, he was a key cog in Atlanta's infamous Super Bowl LI run. The 2015 fifth-round pick was a two-time Pro Bowler and one-time All-Pro Second Team member at 27. But entering his age-32 campaign, the Bears shouldn't be relying on him as much as the contract they agreed to indicates.
The Bears won't see a strong return on considerable investment in offseason free-agent Grady Jarrett
Financial assurances and the potential out of Jarrett's pact after 2027 mean this is at least a two-season partnership. The Bears made a rather hefty investment in an aging, declining defender with significant tread on his tires. What can go wrong?
Chicago signed Jarrett to a three-year, $42.75 million deal in March, including $28.5 million in guaranteed money. The news came on the same day he was released by the Falcons in a cost-cutting move. It's an odd sequence of events, especially in such a turnaround, and makes you wonder who the Bears were bidding against for him (if anyone).
What was the rush to pay Jarrett? How robust could his market have possibly been? He's less than two years removed from a torn ACL and even further from the height of his powers. The Bears showed they're quite confident in the ex-Falcons star, making him the 15th highest-paid defensive tackle in the NFL by guarantees.
Based on the price tag, the Bears ostensibly aren't worried about Jarrett's knee issue resurfacing. However, he occupies one of the most grueling and physically taxing positions. Appearing in all 17 contests for the Falcons in 2024 only adds to the wear and tear. That is grounds to be wary, let alone him not being as productive in the back nine of his career.
Jarrett amassed 53 tackles (nine for loss), 12 quarterback hits and 2.5 sacks last season. He was a fine, albeit uninspiring, run stopper, but his days as a high-level pass rusher are in the rearview. Pro Football Focus (PFF) graded him slightly above average against the ground game and substandard at getting to the quarterback.