Falcons Reportedly Sign Star DT Grady Jarrett to 4-Year Deal
By Michael Luciano
Just when it looked like Dan Quinn and the Atlanta Falcons were going into the season without their best run defender, Thomas Dimitroff swooped in at the 11th hour and got a deal done.
The Falcons have agreed on a four-year, $68 million contract with defensive tackle and run stuffer Grady Jarrett.
Another deadline deal: Falcons and DT Grady Jarrett reached agreement on a four-year, $68 million deal, sources tell ESPN. Falcons beat deadline and lock up their DT.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 15, 2019
Jarrett slid to the fifth round in the 2015 NFL Draft despite a terrific career at Clemson. The son of former Falcons legend and borderline Hall of Fame linebacker Jesse Tuggle, Jarrett has 179 tackles and 14 sacks in four seasons as a Falcon.
Despite a reputation as a pure nose tackle, Jarrett has accumulated 29 quarterback hits in the last two seasons, in which he has emerged as a prototype for a pass-rushing 1 tech tackle.
You need to be able to pressure the quarterback if you want to play defensive tackle for Quinn, and Jarrett has certainly proven that he can do that at an elite level.
Grady Jarrett is only 26, so will get another chance at another contract at 30. His $17 million average is only behind Fletcher Cox and Aaron Donald for interior DL in NFL. Jarrett hasn’t been voted to a Pr Bowl nor had more than six sacks in a season. But he now has cashed in.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 15, 2019
While he may not be on the level of Fletcher Cox or Aaron Donald, Jarrett deserved to get paid and now he's secured the bag.