Defensive tackle Grady Jarrett wants the Chicago Bears to play a certain way. That was evident in the team's joint practice against the Tennessee Titans.
Defensive ends Montez Sweat and Dayo Odeyingbo were consistently jawing with the Titans’ offense. But the biggest tone-setting play, one that created plenty of controversy, was delivered by Xavier Woods. The 10-year veteran annihilated wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson on a crossing route over the middle of the field. Titans players confronted Woods before the situation was eventually diffused.
When Jarrett was asked about that play after practice, he said the team has a certain style of play, and the hit wasn't malicious. He ended his answer by saying, “It kind of is what it is, you know.”
Grady Jarrett wants the Bears to be aggressive defensively in 2026
Woods’ hit was high and likely would have caused a flag in a real game, as it did in the practice. The Bears can't have that type of play in the regular season, but defensive coordinator Dennis Allen's unit must keep embodying this aggressive, attacking style.
One of the biggest questions about this year's Bears defense is what that side of the ball will be known for this year. Allen's defense led the league in takeaways last year, but that's unlikely to happen again with so many key contributors gone and the natural inconsistency of teams leading in that category in back-to-back seasons.
The Bears struggled to get to the quarterback and couldn't consistently stop the run in 2025. So, if the defense is going to have any type of calling card, it may as well be known for the physicality and aggression that shows up on every snap.
As a defense, you want pass catchers to hesitate when running a route in the middle of the field. You want ball carriers to think about protecting themselves any time a lane opens. You want the quarterback to speed up his internal clock, resulting in a missed read or an inaccurate pass.
Those are all signs that an offense is overthinking, which can cause a player to slow down or make a simple error.
Read more: Bears have much bigger problems than what's going on at left tackle
Jarrett's answer about Woods' hit neglects that it may have been a “cheap” one, as Titans head coach Robert Saleh points out in his post-practice press conference. However, Jarrett's mentality reinforces that this Bears defense means business and won't be afraid to deliver a big hit whenever the opportunity comes up.
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