With NFL free agency well underway, the Chicago Bears continue to bolster their offensive and defensive lines to hopefully better protect Caleb Williams while simultaneously improving a defense in need of a few tweaks. A few days ago, they made the first major move of the offseason, getting Chiefs LG Joe Thuney from the Kansas City Chiefs in a deal that will give KC a 4th round selection in next year’s draft. Now, Chicago’s latest move is a 10-year Atlanta Falcons veteran on the opposite side of the ball, DT Grady Jarrett.
Jarrett, 31, has spent all 10 years of his NFL career in Atlanta and joins a Bears team that needs major help on both lines. It is the offensive line that needs more help than the defense, but this is still an ideal pickup. Chicago’s other major offensive line addition besides Thuney is at LG, with Jonah Jackson arriving from the LA Rams. The Jarrett deal sees the 31 year old native of Conyers, GA and a 2015 5th round selection out of Clemson making $43.5 million total over 3 years, with at least $29 million guaranteed.
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ATLANTA, GA JANUARY 05: Atlanta defensive end Grady Jarrett (97) warms up prior to the start of the NFL game between the Carolina Panthers and the Atlanta Falcons on January 5th, 2025 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Jarrett brings a slightly declining season sacks number to the Bears, logging just 2.5 all of last season, similar to his 2023 output. He did drastically improve the amount of solo tackles in 2024, with 30 compared to 2023, where he made just 9, and also assisted on 23 more tackles, compared to 14 in 2023. Jarrett was also the Falcons’ starting DT in 2024 as Atlanta pushed its way to an 8-9 record but fell just short of the postseason as they watched divisional rivals Tampa Bay take the divisional playoff berth.
The Bears’ offensive line now consists of Thuney, Jackson, and 3 others, notably Braxton Jones at LT, Drew Dalman at C and Darnell Wright at RT. On the defensive side of the ball, the Bears’ main defenders will be Jarrett at DT, as well as another pickup in former Colts DE Dayo Odeyingbo to cover the right defensive side, followed by Gervon Dexter at left defensive tackle and one more free agency pickup at the left defensive end spot, Montez Sweat from the Washington Commanders.
Odeyingbo’s new deal with the Bears is similar to Jarrett’s, a 3-year deal worth a total of $48 million. The 25-year-old, a 2021 2nd round choice out of Vanderbilt by the Colts, racked up 3 sacks this past season while making 13 solo tackles and 18 assisted tackles for 31 tackles in all. He also started in all but 3 of the Colts’ games in 2024, something he’d never previously done in his 4 year NFL career. Odeyingbo has also kept up the number of times he’s pressured a QB, with 17 QB hits each in the last two seasons.
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EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – NOVEMBER 17: Dayo Odeyingbo #54 of the Indianapolis Colts walks off of the field after an NFL football game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on November 17, 2024 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
Meanwhile, Montez Sweat brings a total of 5.5 sacks with 18 solo tackles and 12 QB hits, while starting for the Bears in every game last season, his first in Chicago. The 28-year old was a community college star before being drafted out of Mississippi State during the 1st round of the 2019 draft by Washington and is a Kentucky native like the author!
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LANDOVER, MARYLAND – OCTOBER 29: Montez Sweat #90 of the Washington Commanders looks on during warmups before a game against the Philadelphia Eagles at FedExField on October 29, 2023 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Jess Rapfogel/Getty Images)
Could it be that the Chicago Bears are going all in in the hopes that they make a surprise and yet triumphant return to the NFL postseason? With this many big free agency splashes, it would certainly seem so. However, the key is to properly develop those free agency signings properly and integrate them with the rest of the team. Otherwise, it might be yet another year where Bears fans have to listen to their bitter rivals in the Green Bay Packers chant “Bears still suck!”.
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