Chicago Bears blasted over expensive free agency decision

The Chicago Bears entered the offseason with plenty of cap space to work with. But after their major roster re-tooling, the Bears rank 26th in cap space with almost $15 million to work with, via Over the Cap.

That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, considering Chicago has bought-in on Caleb Williams being their franchise quarterback. Since he is on a rookie deal, the Bears were free to spend big around the roster. Coming off of a 5-12 season, the franchise undoubtedly looks much stronger entering the quarterback’s sophomore campaign.

Still, they have little wiggle room to make many noticeable additions. Part of the cap issue is the fact Chicago gave veteran defensive tackle Grady Jarrett a three-year, $43.5 million contract. While the Bears received a B- grade for their offseason as a whole, Seth Walder of ESPN argued that the team’s Jarrett agreement was their worst move.

“On the flip side, the Jarrett deal was awful value,” Walder wrote. “They gave him a three-year contract averaging $14.25 million with $28.5 million fully guaranteed, per Roster Management System. That includes a full guarantee on his 2026 base salary when Jarrett, who has been steadily declining, will be 33. Jarrett’s pass rush win rate at defensive tackle has dropped every season from 2019 (22%) to 2024 (9%), and he suffered a torn ACL in 2023.”

Grady Jarrett joins Chicago Bears 

After being released from the Atlanta Falcons, the Bears wasted little time in bringing Grady Jarrett to the Windy City. He is a well-respected veteran with 10 years of NFL service time. But entering his his age-32 campaign, it’s fair to question to price Chicago was willing to pay.

After suffering a torn ACL in 2023, Jarrett was able to start all 17 games in 2024. The defensive tackle mustered up 53 tackles, 12 quarterback hits and 2.5 sacks. His 62.1 grade from Pro Football Focus, which ranked 71/219 defensive tackles, tells the whole story. While he made an impact, Jarrett didn’t produce as the Falcons expected.

Still, over his 10 years in Atlanta, Jarrett put up 496 tackles, 126 quarterback hits and 36.5 sacks. He was crucial against the run and was named to two Pro Bowls. He may not be the player he was in 2020, but the Bears at least believe that Jarrett still has plenty of gas left in the tank.

Playing in the NFL for 10 years, it’s hard to say Jarrett has anything left to prove. However, his Chicago contract has a lot of people scratching their heads. If nothing else, Jarrett must prove that he is fully healthy and ready to lead the defensive line in his first season away from Atlanta.

Defensive line depth 

While the secondary was arguably the team’s biggest strength in 2024, Chicago’s run defense was one of their weak points. The Bears ranked 28th in the league, allowing 136.3 rushing yards per game. Jarrett’s arrival should help clog up any holes.

He’ll be playing next to Gervon Dexter, who is coming off of a breakout season. He set new career-highs with 51 tackles, 19 quarterback hits and five sacks. He led the Bears in QB hits while sitting behind just Montez Sweat in sacks. Now playing next to a trusted veteran, Chicago is expecting an even bigger leap from the defensive tackle.

The Bears’ run defense took a massive hit when Andrew Billings suffered a season-ending pectoral injury. His return should raise the unit’s floor. In turn, Chicago’s defensive tackle ceiling goes up with the arrival of second-rounder Shemar Turner. While he can play all over the defensive line, the Bears want to see what he can do in the middle.

The unit as a whole looks much stronger entering the 2025 campaign. But that’ll hinge on Jarrett and whether or not he can still be a difference maker on the gridiron.