Bears sign DT Grady Jarrett to 3-year $43.5 million deal

[IotaNet]

[dplank]

Holy cow, this is insane. Poles is pushing all his chips in now, that's 5 new player on the LOS! We have every single weakness covered and still the draft to go!

[crueltyabc]

This I did not expect. Still processing...

has he been good lately??

Falcons fans are upset which feels like a good sign

[crueltyabc]

Oooh ok

"After sustaining a torn ACL in Week 8 of the 2023 season, he returned in 2024 and was still a solid player on the interior of the Falcons' line, with 2.5 sacks and 53 total tackles."

[Bears Whiskey Nut]

This I did not expect. Still processing...

has he been good lately??

Falcons fans are upset which feels like a good sign

He was the heart and soul of their defense for several years. A real fan favorite. He's 31, so I'm sure he still has a few good years left in him.

[Hoog]

Well, well, that was unexpected for sure. Hasn't been great at pass rush the last 2 years (4 sacks in the last 2 years) but has it in him. BUT, if you want to improve your locker room, this is the MF'er to do it. He's a real leader and plays hard. Payton Award finalist 2 years running, I think. Again, a little high of a contract but DA kind of guy. Push the chips to the middle RP.

[G08]

This.

Wow. So do we have any major needs at all now?

RB?

[Z Bear]

WR is a bigger need than RB, unless you think Tyler Scott is going to magically be able to catch the ball.

[HisRoyalSweetness]

He's 31, so I'm sure he still has a few good years left in him.

He turns 32 at the end of next month. He's 6'0, 280lb.

Hasn't been great at pass rush the last 2 years (4 sacks in the last 2 years) but has it in him.

He only played 8 games in 2023 due to the ACL injury and looking beyond the sacks:

2022 (17 games): 4 hurries, 11 QB knockdowns, 1 bat, 6 sacks, 22 total pressures
2023 (8 games): 2 hurries, 6 QB knockdowns, 2 bats, 1.5 sacks, 10 total pressures
2024 (17 games): 7 hurries, 8 QB knockdowns, 0 bats, 2.5 sacks, 18 total pressures

So he gets some push from the interior even if that doesn't always result in a sack.

[BearsFanInMN]

That was a little more coin then expected but I'm not upset.

WR is a #3 and ideally KR. I think we can draft that pretty easily.

[wab]

This one I don’t love, but he’s a solid veteran presence.

[artbest01]

He's been a good to very good DT over the course of his career and is a disruptive presence/force.

As for "needs" - I don't know that can throw shade at a top flight pass rusher, DT or OT in the draft should one be available at 10. I think RB is an option. I think the TE from Penn State is an option. I think safety is an option/a real possibility on day 2. I think WR is also a strong possibility on day 2. I think a LB who can shed blocks and run is a possibility on day 2.

[Hema2.0]

I still like picking Oline with one of the 2nd round picks. Need to start a pipeline immediately.

[The Cooler King]

This I did not expect. Still processing...

has he been good lately??

Falcons fans are upset which feels like a good sign

He was the heart and soul of their defense for several years. A real fan favorite. He's 31, so I'm sure he still has a few good years left in him.

Sounds like he was being used pretty heavily by ATL still. Despite the figures, he may factor into more of a rotation role and hopefully that allows him to age gracefully over next 2-3 years while providing impact over shorter spurts and provide value despite big $.

[Arkansasbear]

Not a fan of this move as much. Seem a bit much for the production he will bring. But as Hoog said, maybe the locker room presence makes it worth cost.

Just curious to see the terms of the contract. Biggest thing to me is to not get contracts that kill you at the end.

[artbest01]

From what I've heard and observed in the few times I've watched the Falcons, Jarrett is a tone setter - someone the Bears haven't really had inside. The closest, arguably, has been Billings. The two d-line signings today seemingly help the Bears be a lot more stout against the run. The pass rush, arguably, remains a work in progress.

[Grizzled]

Solid. Another strong vet for a position needing improvement. Leadership also. The money is Poles' area, I'm not worrying about what they've spent.

[malk]

My Falcons buddy was bemoaning losing their best DT due to Cousin' contract. Not sure I love the contract but if it ends up being really a 2 year deal that'll be better.

[southdakbearfan]

WR is a bigger need than RB, unless you think Tyler Scott is going to magically be able to catch the ball.

Umm our #1 back is not good. How could WR be a higher need when we are looking for a guy that might get 30 targets.

[Z Bear]

Our #3 WR is going to get way more than 30 targets, Rome was the #3 targeted WR last year with 101 targets. Swift is not a bad RB, he is a decent RB that was saddled with shitty a offensive scheme and line. All those clamoring for Jeanty might want to go back and look at Swift's Georgia days. Similar YPC and carries per TD, also similar sized. It was just done primarily against the SEC instead of the Mountain West.

[Bearfacts]

I go away for a while and Poles erupts. Jarrett wasn't even on the market for 24 hours. When I read ATL had released him I wondered if Poles would call his agent. I guess he did more than just call huh?

Grady is like a poor man's Aaron Donald. He's small but he's a major disrupter against the run as a 3 tech. He's quick and tough to block and he can bring some pressure and sacks as well. Dennis Allen wanted a 3 tech and with this move and the tender of Chris Williams he has two. Got a little more $$$ than expected but with just $28.5 of gtd $$$ it's basically a 2 year $14.25 AAV deal if Poles wants out after 2026.

Maybe Zach Pickens should start packing his bags????

[Arkansasbear]

So he won’t count against a comp pick, correct?

[Bears Whiskey Nut]

Our #3 WR is going to get way more than 30 targets, Rome was the #3 targeted WR last year with 101 targets. Swift is not a bad RB, he is a decent RB that was saddled with shitty a offensive scheme and line. All those clamoring for Jeanty might want to go back and look at Swift's Georgia days. Similar YPC and carries per TD, also similar sized. It was just done primarily against the SEC instead of the Mountain West.

Yeah. But Swift isn't a 3-down back. We can get that in the 2nd round pretty easily. We need a power back that will run over people late in the game. We all thought Roschon was going to be that guy, but it hasn't worked out.

[G08]

[Bears Whiskey Nut]

He has a vicious swim move.

[The Cooler King]

So he won’t count against a comp pick, correct?

Correct.

I think very likely the Bears won't be a factor in comp pick but fwiw with Darrell somewhat surprisingly qualifying as a CFA loss the Bears are -1 one day into FA and you figure Jenkins and Allen will definitely count as losses which could make them +1 and in line for a comp pick if they had no more CFA adds. Pryor maybe could end up a CFA loss too. You'd have to really squint to see anymore CFA losses...

They still have plenty of depth needs, but never say never I guess.

[RichH55]

I go away for a while and Poles erupts. Jarrett wasn't even on the market for 24 hours. When I read ATL had released him I wondered if Poles would call his agent. I guess he did more than just call huh?

Grady is like a poor man's Aaron Donald. He's small but he's a major disrupter against the run as a 3 tech. He's quick and tough to block and he can bring some pressure and sacks as well. Dennis Allen wanted a 3 tech and with this move and the tender of Chris Williams he has two. Got a little more $$$ than expected but with just $28.5 of gtd $$$ it's basically a 2 year $14.25 AAV deal if Poles wants out after 2026.

Maybe Zach Pickens should start packing his bags????

Don't comp people to Aaron Donald....it's never going to be a good idea

[RichH55]

He has a vicious swim move.

I think you are thinking of Jarron Gilbert

[RichH55]

So he won’t count against a comp pick, correct?

Correct.

I think very likely the Bears won't be a factor in comp pick but fwiw with Darrell somewhat surprisingly qualifying as a CFA loss the Bears are -1 one day into FA and you figure Jenkins and Allen will definitely count as losses which could make them +1 and in line for a comp pick if they had no more CFA adds. Pryor maybe could end up a CFA loss too. You'd have to really squint to see anymore CFA losses...

They still have plenty of depth needs, but never say never I guess.

Do they still have plenty of depth needs? Especially considering they will be picking a bunch of guys in the draft too

I'm not seeing many

[Bearfacts]

I go away for a while and Poles erupts. Jarrett wasn't even on the market for 24 hours. When I read ATL had released him I wondered if Poles would call his agent. I guess he did more than just call huh?

Grady is like a poor man's Aaron Donald. He's small but he's a major disrupter against the run as a 3 tech. He's quick and tough to block and he can bring some pressure and sacks as well. Dennis Allen wanted a 3 tech and with this move and the tender of Chris Williams he has two. Got a little more $$$ than expected but with just $28.5 of gtd $$$ it's basically a 2 year $14.25 AAV deal if Poles wants out after 2026.

Maybe Zach Pickens should start packing his bags????

Don't comp people to Aaron Donald....it's never going to be a good idea

Why not? I don't give a damn how others decided they want to respond to it. That's on them. If some people wanna compare POTUS to Jesus Christ I can compare Grady Jarrett to a poor man's Aaron Donald. I've been out of HS for over 50 years and I sure as hell ain't campaigning for Most Popular or Prom King on a flippin' football forum.