Grady Jarrett wasn’t out of work long.
Mere hours after he was released by the Atlanta Falcons on Monday, Jarrett signed a three-year, $43.5 million contract with the Chicago Bears, NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported.
Jarrett, who turns 32 in April, had spent his entire 10-year career in Atlanta, but now he moves to Chicago to help upgrade a front that ranked in the middle of the pack last season with 40 sacks. The Bears also added to their defensive line earlier on Monday, agreeing to a three-year, $48 million contract with former Colts edge Dayo Odeyingbo, Pelissero and NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported.
Jarrett and Odeyingbo join a group that had some talent last season, but appeared to fall apart following the injury to Andrew Billings inside. Prior to free agency, Bears general manager Ryan Poles indicated the team was seeking both edge-rushing help and an additional interior penetrator.
A fifth-round pick in 2015, Jarrett developed into one of the league’s better interior defenders over the past decade. He’s a two-time Pro Bowl selection who generated 36.5 sacks in 10 seasons with Atlanta — often as the Falcons’ only consistent defensive line threat.
The Bears have been one of the busiest teams in the early stages of free agency, also agreeing to a three-year deal with free-agent center Drew Dalman on Monday. Dalman became the third interior offensive lineman the Bears have added to the 2025 fold in the past few days, including trade acquisitions Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson.