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ESPN analyst gives Bears a surprising grade for offseason moves

Originally posted on Chicago Bears on SI
By Pete Martuneac | Last updated Jul 10, 2025 3:47 PM ET

Stop me if you've heard this one before: after a flurry of exciting roster additions and coaching staff changes, Chicago Bears fans are hyped up for the upcoming NFL season. We've been down this road with the Bears many times before, including each of the last two years, but this time it truly feels different. This time, the Bears may actually make good on the excitement they've infused into the fanbase with a winning season and a (long) shot at the playoffs.

That's because their offseason moves haven't just been exciting this time around, but also smart. These new-look Bears have been operating more like a serious organization than they have in the past, and that has earned GM Ryan Poles almost universal praise.

That's what makes ESPN's recent grade for Chicago's offseason so surprising. NFL insider Seth Walder of ESPN graded every team's offseason on Thursday, and he awarded the Bears a B- grade. While this is not necessarily a bad grade, it comes across as a head-scratcher.

The main reasons for the B- grade are that Walder apparently hated the acquisitions of Jonah Jackson and Grady Jarrett, calling the former move 'inexplicable' and blasting the latter as 'awful value'.

It's understandable not to be blown away by the trade for Jackson. I didn't see it as much of a needle-mover myself when the trade was announced. But to call the reuniting of Jackson with head coach Ben Johnson, under whom he earned a Pro Bowl nod not too long ago, 'inexplicable' is difficult to fathom.

Regarding the deal for Jarrett, yes, it's an overpay. But every deal in free agency is an overpay. It's the name of the game. The Bears needed a veteran leader to raise the floor of their defensive line, and that's what Jarrett does. As for his age and his 2023 ACL injury, the Bears have enough depth (and upside) on the D-line so that Jarrett will not have to play more snaps than he can handle. In fact, fewer snaps than in 2024 will probably increase his overall efficiency.

On the positive side, Walder expressed nothing but admiration for the hiring of Ben Johnson, calling it his favorite move of Chicago's offseason. He also had praise for the signing of Dayo Odeyingbo, the Joe Thuney trade, and the contract extensions for Kyler Gordon and T.J. Edwards. I would have thought that all these moves would offset the questionable moves enough to at least earn a B+, but I suppose Walder disagrees.

It's up to the Bears themselves, and Jackson and Jarrett in particular, to prove him wrong.

This article first appeared on Chicago Bears on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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