The Chicago Bears, once again, were one of the most aggressive teams in the offseason. They made multiple veteran additions, particularly on the offensive and defensive lines. General manager Ryan Poles is known for going all-in, and he lived up to his reputation.
When a team takes as many chances in free agency as the Bears did this offseason, some of the moves are bound to look like mistakes in the long run. It's hard to truly blame Poles for supporting his new head coach and his young quarterback with big veteran additions.
But nobody expected the Grady Jarrett signing to fall flat this quickly. Just nine weeks into the season, Bears fans are already seeing one of their team's biggest moves of the offseason as a crushing disappointment.
Grady Jarrett signing already looks like a mistake for Bears
Back in March, the Atlanta Falcons released Jarrett, their star defensive tackle. Just hours later, he signed with the Bears. It's usually a bad sign when a team is so willing to move on from a player they've had for a long time, but Chicago ignored those warning signs. The veteran signed a three-year contract worth $43.5 million, immediately becoming one of the most expensive players on the roster.
Just halfway through the 2025 season, the move is already being chalked up as a miss. He started the first three games of the season, failing to make a major impact. Then, the 32-year-old missed time with a knee injury. When he returned in Week 8, the veteran was relegated to the bench. He's seen limited playing time all season, never eclipsing 50 snaps in a single game.
But even when on the field, Jarrett has been disappointing. It's been years since he's been an elite run defender, but his lack of presence against the run has made him little more than a third-down specialist. He hasn't been especially impactful as a pass rusher either, totaling just three quarterback hits on the season so far.
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Chicago's defense as a whole has been disappointing through the first half of this season. There are multiple places to throw the blame, but Jarrett is certainly part of the problem. Giving the 32-year-old a three-year contract is quickly starting to look like one of the worst free-agency signings of the offseason, across the entire league. Hopefully, the veteran defender can turn things around in the back half of the season.