The Chicago Bears are rarely this aggressive. That should tell you how serious they are about winning football games this season. GM Ryan Poles already nabbed two quality additions to the trenches with center Drew Dalman and defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo. Most people felt, understandably, that it would be the extent of their work on the first day of action. They were wrong. Mere minutes after the Odeyingbo news drops, the Bears struck again, this time adding former Pro Bowl defensive tackle Grady Jarrett.
The move will likely be met with annoyance from fans because the 31-year-old only had 2.5 sacks last season. That conveniently ignores complicating factors. Jarrett had 34 pressures during the year, which is pretty impressive considering he had torn his ACL in 2023. He also didn’t have much help around him in Atlanta, which will obviously have been the case in Chicago. Don’t forget Dennis Allen knows him well. He coached against the Falcons for years with the Saints. He knows the type of disruptor Jarrett can be.
The Chicago Bears don’t need Jarrett to carry the load.
They already have Gervon Dexter and Andrew Billings capable of starting. Jarrett should be able to play more of a rotational role, utilizing his skills as an interior pass rusher without the added wear and tear of defending the run. If this is how the Chicago Bears deploy him, it could prove a masterful stroke. The one thing they always seemed to be missing was quickness and explosion on the interior. Even at 32 years old, Jarrett should still be able to provide both. His arrival also furthers the goal of allowing Poles to enter the NFL draft next month without having to be governed by needs. He can take the best players on his board, regardless of position. It will maximize their chances of landing good players that way.
