The Chicago Bears need a lot more from Grady Jarrett in 2026…
The Bears signed him to a three year contract worth more than $42 million, expecting the longtime Atlanta Falcons standout to bring stability and production to a unit that badly needed both. Instead, Jarrett’s first season with the Bears was very underwhelming.
He finished the 2025 regular season with 39 tackles, 1.5 sacks and eight quarterback hits while appearing in 14 games as he missed three games because of a knee injury.
Jarrett’s performance was especially concerning because the Bears’ defensive line was a liability throughout much of the season. Now the situation has gotten even worse…
The Bears traded Gervon Dexter to the Atlanta Falcons before the start of the regular season, removing the team’s top interior sack producer from 2025. Dexter had six sacks while starting all 17 games last season.
That leaves even more responsibility on Jarrett, who is one of the Bears five 2026 captains, and the rest of Chicago’s interior defensive line.
Jarrett needs to be better
Grady Jarrett knows that his first season with the Chicago Bears wasn’t good enough. “I know that I owe Chicago a better year, and I’m excited to go do that,” Jarrett said in training camp.
Jarrett’s poor 2025 season wasn’t simply about his sack total either. His ability to consistently impact the game from the interior was an issue. Pro Football Focus gave him a 56.7 overall grade, which ranked 76th among 134 qualifying interior defensive linemen – His 44.5 run defense grade ranked 105th at the position.
Now some of that can be explained by circumstances. The Bears dealt with injuries across the defensive line last season, including Jarrett’s knee injury. Austin Booker missed the first seven games, while Shemar Turner and Dayo Odeyingbo were lost for the season.
Jarrett also played better toward the second half of the season after working his way back from the injury. Still, Chicago cannot simply assume that the version of Jarrett it saw in 2025 is the player it will get this year.
He’s now 33 years old and entering his 12th NFL season – The Bears need the veteran to provide more than leadership, especially after losing Gervon Dexter.
The Bears need Jarrett to anchor a shaky unit
The timing makes Grady Jarrett’s 2026 season even more important…
The Chicago Bears defense has undergone significant changes, and the defensive line remains one of the biggest areas of concern. The secondary should be a strength, but that won’t matter nearly as much if opposing quarterbacks have too much time and opposing running games consistently create easy yards.
Jarrett is one of the players who can help fill that void. Now the Bears don’t need him to recreate his best years in Atlanta. They just need him to be better than he was last season.
That seems like a reasonable expectation for a veteran who knows the organization expects more from him to me.
And if that happens, Chicago’s defensive front could look considerably different in 2026. If it doesn’t, the Bears could have a major problem on their hands.
That’s why Jarrett enters 2026 with everything to prove. He has the experience, the contract and the opportunity. Now the Bears need the production to match them.
Bears Veteran Defender Enters 2026 With Everything to Prove