The Atlanta Falcons have decided to maintain one of their key defensive players for the time being.
On Tuesday, the team and defensive tackle Grady Jarrett agreed to a three-year agreement worth up to $17 million per year in new money and $51 million in total if he meets certain incentives, according to an ESPN source. The contract includes a guarantee of $34.5 million.
Jarrett has now signed a contract worth $67 million through the 2025 season, which includes the money he was set to make in 2022.
The revelation of the deal’s conditions was originally revealed by Atlanta’s WSB-TV. Jarrett agreed to a three-year agreement with the Falcons, but the financial specifics were not disclosed.
Jarrett, who turned 29 on Thursday, the opening day of the NFL draught, was drafted fifth overall by the Falcons out of Clemson in 2015. In his second season, the player from Conyers, Georgia, became a starter for Atlanta. In 2019 and 2020, he was named to back-to-back Pro Bowls, and he has started every game for Atlanta since the start of the 2016 season. In total, he has 359 tackles, 26.5 sacks, 5 forced fumbles, and 3 fumble recoveries in 110 games, starting 95 of them.
Jarrett Tuggle, the son of former Falcons linebacker Jessie Tuggle, shifted from defensive tackle to defensive end last season under defensive coordinator Dean Pees’ 3-4 scheme to create better matchups.
Jarrett (6 feet, 305 pounds) became a focal point for opposition offensive lines, facing triple-teams while attempting to work off blocks.
“Based on the way Grady plays and his reputation, I think people will account for him in protection,” Falcons coach Arthur Smith said. “We also move him around a little bit too, but yeah, I mean, if you’re playing us, you’re certainly going to account for him in your protection schemes.”
Jarrett’s decision to stay will make him one of the Falcons’ key leaders while the team transitions the majority of its squad. He joins left tackle Jake Matthews as the second Falcons player to sign a long-term contract extension this offseason. In the last 12 months, the team has traded quarterback Matt Ryan to the Indianapolis Colts, and wide receiver Julio Jones to the Tennessee Titans, as well as having receiver Calvin Ridley suspended for at least a year for gambling.
Atlanta is also in the midst of reorganising their front seven, with Jarrett as the focal point. In free agency, linebacker Foye Oluokun signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars, and the Falcons signed Rashaan Evans to replace him.
To try to mitigate some of the attention that other teams devote to Jarrett every down, the team signed Lorenzo Carter and drafted Arnold Ebiketie and DeAngelo Malone as edge rushers. Atlanta also signed defensive tackle Vincent Taylor, who might provide Jarrett with extra interior support.
