Grady Jarrett was once a second-team All-Pro and a cornerstone of a defense that nearly won a Super Bowl.
At his peak, he was among the NFL’s most disruptive interior linemen. Now entering his first year with the Chicago Bears, he’s still expected to bring value, but the team isn’t overly reliant on him in the same way, which brings him in at number 18.
Ranking Most Important Chicago Bears: No. 18 — Grady Jarrett
That’s by design. Jarrett turns 32 this season and is coming off a torn ACL suffered midway through the 2023 season. He returned in 2024 without missing a snap, which was impressive, but his play clearly dipped, prompting the Atlanta Falcons to move on.
The Bears believe Jarrett still has something left, as evidenced by the contract they gave him. They spent enough that no others teams were comfortable to match. Chicago was also motivated to stabilize a defensive line that fell apart last season.
Jarrett’s importance is undeniable, but he sits at No. 18 rather than higher because of the Bears’ improved depth and his likely role. Chicago also drafted Shemar Turner in the second round, with hopes that he develops quickly enough to reduce Jarrett’s workload eventually.
The team is also counting on a step forward from Gervon Dexter, who began to flash last year despite drawing heavy attention due to the lack of surrounding talent. With more help around him this year, they expect Dexter to take on the heavier burden. Andrew Billings returns as a healthy run-stopping presence and will rotate in as well.
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In an ideal scenario, Jarrett plays high-impact snaps without being asked to carry too much of the load. That keeps him firmly in the top 20 of this list, but not quite inside the top 15.