Bears’ $42 Million Signing Ripped as Worst of NFL Free Agency
The Chicago Bears made several ambitious roster moves in the first wave of NFL free agency last week, but one of their signings has drawn them some criticism.
On the first day of the 2025 league year on March 12, the Bears announced two trades and their first two signings of the unrestricted free agency period, including the three-year, $42.75 million contract they signed with veteran defensive tackle Grady Jarrett.
Jarrett — a two-time Pro Bowler — had hit the open market two days earlier after the Atlanta Falcons released him for additional cap space, ending his 10-season tenure with the team that originally drafted him in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL draft. After his release, the Bears didn’t wait long to pounce and quickly added him to their defense.
Chicago’s urgency, however, raised some red flags for ESPN’s Seth Walder, who dubbed Jarrett’s signing one of the worst and “biggest head-scratching” signings of free agency.
“The Bears signing defensive tackle Grady Jarrett to a deal with $28.5 million fully guaranteed,” Walder wrote on March 18 in a panel of ESPN experts sharing their takes. “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).”
Bears Taking Risks With Grady Jarrett & Dayo Odeyingbo
Walder’s skepticism about the Bears signing Jarrett to a big contract isn’t unwarranted. As he noted, Jarrett had one of the worst seasons of his career in 2024 for the Falcons, recording just 2.5 sacks and 12 quarterback hits in 17 starts on 463 pass-rushing snaps. He will also turn 32 in about six weeks, creating conditions for a potential bottom-out.
Jarrett isn’t the only high-priced risk the Bears took in free agency, either.
The Bears also signed defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo to a three-year, $48 million deal, throwing quite a bit of money into a player who fits what defensive coordinator Dennis Allen likes in pass rushers but who also recorded just three sacks in his first season as a regular starter for the Indianapolis Colts in 2024. Like Jarrett, the move could backfire.
The Bears are getting plenty of upside in Jarrett, though, too.
Jarrett is several seasons removed from his last Pro Bowl campaign, but changing his scenery and moving into Allen’s aggressive 4-3 defensive scheme could give way to a late-season boom for him if he can stay healthy. He is also a former team captain for the Falcons, giving the Bears another locker room leader they can lean on next season.
Clearly, the Bears believe Jarrett can do more than just mentor their younger players — hence the money they gave him — but there is no denying that confidence is a gamble.
Grady Jarrett Signing Could Look Better After NFL Draft
For the time being, the Bears’ decision to sign Jarrett is deserving of skepticism, but the general outlook on the move could look much better depending on the 25 NFL draft.
The Bears opened up their possibilities for the draft in the first week of free agency. They acquired three new interior starters for their offensive line and also added Jarrett and Odeyingbo to their defensive front, giving them the flexibility to target the best available players — and not mainline a specific position — with their three top-41 picks.
Now, perhaps the Bears will act boldly and seek out more offensive playmakers with their high-value draft picks, such as running back Ashton Jeanty or tight end Tyler Warren, but they could just as easily make another investment in their defensive line. And if they do select a first- or second-round defensive tackle, the perspective on Jarrett and the need for him to become a regular impact player for the Bears diminishes.
That’s not to say the Bears would then want Jarrett to become expendable, but the risk they are taking with him becomes much more acceptable if they hedge their bet and draft another young defensive tackle whom they believe can develop into a starter.
