Grady Jarrett off to a good start in first training camp with Bears

The Chicago Bears’ decision to sign veteran defensive lineman Grady Jarrett to a three-year, $42.75 million contract in free agency was questioned as a bizarre strategy at the time.

Indeed, the Bears’ roster already included veteran Andrew Billings and an ascending Gervon Dexter at defensive tackle, and with bigger holes at edge rusher and along the offensive line, an investment like that in Jarrett, who’s 32 years old and just two years removed from a serious knee injury, seemed risky.

But what can’t be denied is the impact Jarrett will have in the locker room and for the development of the new Bears culture that coach Ben Johnson and his coaching staff are building.

Jarrett, a 10-year pro, has seen and done it all in the NFL. And his fiery personality is contagious, especially on the field.

It didn’t take long for the interior defender to make his presence felt at training camp, either.

Jarrett was tough to block for Chicago’s rebuilt offensive line on Thursday, as outlined by Bear Report’s Zack Pearson.

Grady Jarrett putting pressure on Caleb Williams

“It was another tough day for the offense on Thursday,” Pearson wrote. “They had a rough 11/11 period to open up the practice, which included: Grady Jarrett pressure, reset to get re-huddled, bad snap over Williams’ shoulder, incompletion, scramble that saw Williams fall down trying to escape. It went about as bad as it could have gone without a turnover.”

It’s that pressure part that is the most relevant. Remember: interior pressure is the best kind of pressure in the NFL right now. It’s why defensive linemen like Jalen Carter and Chris Jones are so valuable. If the Chicago Bears can build a defensive line that collapses the pocket with quick penetrators like Jarrett, Montez Sweat will eat on the edge.

Maybe Grady Jarrett only has one or two productive years left in his legs. And that’s fine. The Bears added youth to the position group with second-round pick Shemar Turner, and Dexter is still just 23 years old. He won’t turn 24 until October.

At worst, Jarrett will be an ideal mentor in 2025. At best, he’ll be a Pro Bowl defender.

If he stays healthy, Jarrett will prove he’s worth every penny of his big contract—and silence the critics by season’s end.