Do Vikings moves show Bears moved too quickly on Grady Jarrett?

The Vikings have suddenly bolstered their defensive line interior with both Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave so would the Bears have been better off with them than Grady Jarrett?

Grady Jarrett tackles receiver Curtis Samuel in a game against the Panthers. | Jason Getz-Imagn Images

The Chicago Bears became darlings of Day 1 in NFL free agency within the NFC North after three signings that included defensive tackle Grady Jarrett.

Their efforts at this position seemed to lack so much luster after what the Minnesota Vikings have done on the defensive line by reportedly signing Jonathan Allen and then with the report they'll sign Javon Hargrave.

All three defensive linemen go to new teams with two Pro Bowls to their credit and in the same age range.

Javon Hargrave tries to drag down Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

All three have had to overcome injuries recently.

Did the Bears do the right thing by going after Jarrett as he was released by the Falcons or would it have been better to wait and sign one of the other two like the Vikings have done?

Here's how they stack up.

Age

All three are in the same range. Jarrett is 31 and soon will be 32, Hargrave has just turned 32 while Allen is the youngster at 30.

Jonathan Allen (93) and Chase Young try to sack former Bears QB Justin Fields at Washington. | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Injuries

Both Hargrave and Allen are coming off season-ending injuries and Jarrett's was in 2023. However, both Hargrave (triceps tear) and Allen (pectoral tear) had injuries no one could have called career-threatening.  A torn ACL is more of a problem at a position where power and speed are so necessary to get into gaps and upfield, and Jarrett had to overcome this. Jarrett's injury was in 2023 and spent last year working at rehab before the season, then wore a knee brace. He came back well enough that this shouldn't create a problem for this season beyond possibly not practicing him as often when they're using the Walter Payton Center's artificial turf.

Familiarity

Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen faced Jarrett twice a year in the NFC South and knew how disruptive he could be within the scheme he uses.

Grady Jarrett hauls down Dak Prescott for a sack against Dallas. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Allen and Hargrave are less known, although the Saints and Ben Johnson's Lions would faced both. It's just that facing players a couple times a year make familiarity much easier and it's obvious the Bears liked Jarrett's fit as an upfield attacker more.

Productivity

Who has been more productive probably depends on what you're looking for from the position more. The classic three technique applies QB pressure and gets up the field to disrupt the running game.

Allen has been better at getting real heat on the quarterback than the other two by averaging 12.6 QB hits a year with one more season, which tends to drag down averages. The other two averaged 8.8 hits. Allen, though, doesn't finish as many plays with sacks as he averages 3.6 a year while the other two averaged just over five.

As for tackles for loss, Jarrett has averaged 7.7 while Allen averages 7.5 and Hargrave 6.1

Aaron Rodgers scrambles to escape Grady Jarrett at Lambeau Field. | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Conclusion

The Vikings are paying more for Allen based on being younger by almost two years and with only eight years of experience.

With both Allen and Jarrett it's a bit of an unknown because they've been with one team for their entire careers while Hargrave is going to his fourth team and the effect from that isn't a mystery.

Jarrett is the system fit for the Bears but there also would have been a familiarity aspect since he would have been rejoining Montez Sweat after the two played together in Washington.

The Bears couldn't have gone wrong with any of the three but that huge quarterback hits total for 10 seasons playing on some questionable defensive fronts is enough to say Jarrett is an ideal fit for this attacking scheme and maybe moreso than either Hargrave or Allen would have been.

With the Vikings' blitzing defense, the defensive tackles are going to wind up being more involved occupying blockers so the blitzes get home than they would at making actual plays on the QB.

Zach Wilson is unable to scramble away from Grady Jarrett in a Falcons game with the Jets. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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• How Grady Jarrett elevates the Bears both on and off the field

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