Rarely in the last decade has there been this level of excitement around the Chicago Bears. The once great franchise has been mired in mediocrity for far too long. There is hope that the hiring of head coach Ben Johnson and young franchise quarterback Caleb Williams is poised to turn the page. Lending itself to further excitement is the fact that the franchise has had a splashy offseason, bringing in a myriad of expected impact pieces.
This includes former Atlanta Falcons defender Grady Jarrett. Ten years into an impressive career, the interior lineman is the exact type of dominating presence the Bears defense has been missing. It isn't just Chicago fans feeling the excitement either, with Jarrett offering a telling quote about his time in Chicago thus far:
"“I’ve been enjoying it, man, I’ve been enjoying it. My life up here in Chicago has been awesome so far. I’m simple. I go to work, I stay like two minutes from here, the facility, go chill, come back, come to work. It’s a really simplified life for me right now in this transition. I’ve been enjoying it, man. It’s just going to continue to get better the more I continue to put in more work, learn everybody in the building, and, most importantly, start bringing some wins to this program.”"Grady Jarrett
Leading up to this statement, Jarrett talked about how it felt like being a rookie once again. The level of excitement and interest the veteran had in the new role. It is the type of energy and excitement Chicago fans can't help but fall in love with as the franchise prepares for a pivotal season.
Jarrett isn't the only Falcons building block the Bears stole, with center Drew Dalman a noteworthy free agency addition as well. The team's emphasis on building in the trenches under new head coach Ben Johnson was a needed change. One setting the physical tone for a team that was consistently bullied on both sides of the ball in the interior.
There is a level of pressure on Grady Jarrett to show that the recent step back in production was due to a poor Atlanta defense and not aging. This is the one concern with the signing that should have the Bears paying close attention to the veteran's early-season performance.
Regardless, it is refreshing to see a top free agent excited to join the franchise after a frustrating 2024 season. No question, Grady Jarrett was the perfect signing for Chicago.