Can you even believe it? The Chicago Bears, that just a season ago in 2023, were doing quite well on the defensive line, stand at the position of weakness entering the 2025 season. They led the league in rushing yards allowed back then. 2024? They fell to a 28th spot with 136.3 rushing yards allowed average. Not just that, they were 11th in sack percentage (7.95%) and no player had sacks over 5.5 of Montez Sweat. And let’s be honest, they were repeatedly gashed in the running game. Hence, the next plan of action was laid out flat for the new HC Ben Johnson. And his first move?

The Bears announced signing of the 10-year veteran DT Grady Jarrett to a $43.5 million/ 3 years deal. With his experience with the Atlanta Falcons, Jarrett will bring the leadership voice missing from the Windy City franchise and help out the new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen on the way while mentoring many players on the team. And he seems ready for the new task as he mentioned in his introductory presser, “I think the perfect match came along.” But despite a veteran energy in the locker room, Chicago needs more on their D-line if they want to return to their previous status. And they might have a lock. At least Chat Sports’ Harrison Graham believes it.

The Bears hold the No. 10 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and with how things went down in the NFL Combine, the Bears may have a target in the Michigan standout Mason Graham. Harrison gave his opinion on Bears Now by Chat Sports, “I think Mason Graham will probably be gone (before the Bears’ No. 10 pick comes up) but with small measurables, maybe he slides a little bit.”

If you are following the stellar defensive tackle from Michigan, you would know his Combine did not go as well as he would have wanted. One of the biggest factors, “Graham doesn’t offer the eye-popping traits that some prospects possess” noted NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein during the Combine. The top interior rushed in this class lost 20 lbs to enter the Combine at 300 lbs; his arm length is 32-inches; something that might affect his skills on the floor. Moreover, with him choosing to slim down entering Indianapolis and ending up injuring his heel and opting out of the drills, the draft stocks may be affected.

But he does have some quick feet to cover up. Still, his draft stock just might have dropped and the player who was once touted to be a top 5 pick might end up at 11th… or if the Bears’ luck works and they want him, maybe 10th.

“To me, if Mason Graham slides to 10…If he is available at 10, sprint to the podium. To me, this is the fourth-best player in this draft, maybe even third. I probably would say third. I’d probably go Travis Hunter one, Abdul Carter two, Mason Graham three. If he’s there at 10, I just think the value’s too good. You could still use a defensive tackle some way. I’d be sprinting to the podium if he was available,” Harrison added on Bears Now.

Sure, there are other intriguing options—players like Ashton Jeanty and Tyler Warren—but Mason Graham is different. That’s high praise, and it’s warranted. Even he himself declared at the Combine, “I’m one of the most dominant players in this class.”

At 6-foot-3, Mason Graham is built to bully interior OL. He plays with the kind of controlled violence that makes OCs rethink their entire game plan. He might lose some ground against double teams, but his quickness leaves interior disruption inevitable. His quick reads and quicker reactions only pose more threat. Last season, he posted an elite 92.6 run-stopping grade from Pro Football Focus while logging a pass-rush win rate of 13.8%. That’s not just good—it’s elite.

Mason wrapped up the 2024 season with a career-high 45 total tackles with 3.5 sacks and 7 tackles for loss. As one NFL personnel director put it, “Graham can be a nightmare for O-line coaches, because the defense can line him up over the worst athlete inside.” That kind of versatility makes him a headache for anyone trying to block him, and it’s exactly why Chicago should be eyeing him at No. 10.

For the Bears, selecting the Wolverines’ Mason Graham wouldn’t just be about adding another talented player—it would be about building an identity. This defensive front has lacked a true game-wrecker inside for years, and with Jarrett now in the mix, pairing him with a young disruptor like #55 could be the move that finally stabilizes the trenches. More importantly, he might fit the roster as many analysts are doubting Jarrett’s current condition.

ESPN’s Seth Walder gave the Jarrett contract a D grade stating his reason to be Grady’s declining performances. He stated, “The Bears know they’re getting the 2025 (and 2026) version of Jarrett and not, like, 2020 Jarrett, right? He has long been a favorite player of mine, and from 2018 to 2020 or so, he was very much in the mix for the best DT not named Aaron Donald. But Jarrett has aged since then, and those times are long gone.”

According to Walder, Grady’s peak in 2019 saw him record a 21% pass rush win rate. Dropping every season since then, it has reached 9% in 2024. However, Jarrett did promise that he is up for the task and who knows, maybe we will see him return to his former self again under Johnson as he stated, “I’m in a special place in a special time in a special moment where I’m supposed to be. I’m just really trusting the process, and that’s how I got here.”

Modern NFL is built around pressuring the quarterback, and Graham has already shown he can be a force in that department. He’s not just a run-stuffer; he’s a pocket-collapsing menace who could make life miserable for opposing passers.

His tape speaks louder than any Combine drills, and his production at Michigan shows he’s more than ready to handle the grind of the NFL. As Graham himself has stated in the past, he takes pride in doing the dirty work in the trenches, and that’s exactly the kind of attitude that would thrive in a Ben Johnson-led team.

If the Bears want to take a swing at another position, they certainly have options. But in a draft filled with uncertainty. He may not be the flashy pick, but he could end up being the most impactful one. And if Chicago passes?

Could Mason Graham Be the Final Piece to a Dominant Raiders D-Line?

If Bears GM Ryan Poles decide to look elsewhere in the draft, one team lurking in the shadows ready to pounce is the Las Vegas Raiders. And with their recent trade for veteran quarterback Geno Smith, Vegas now has some serious flexibility with their first-round pick.

So what’s the move? SI’s Hondo Carpenter believes the Raiders could strike gold on defense. On a recent episode of the Las Vegas Raiders Insider Podcast, he made a bold prediction: “Big change here, I am expecting … I have the Raiders in massive fall, Mason Graham, the best defensive tackle in this draft, somehow gets to six.”

If that happens, Vegas should be sprinting to the podium. “You never have enough offensive and defensive linemen, especially pass rushers. Graham can stop on a dime and give you nine cents change,” Carpenter added. “He can twist, he can turn, he’s got multiple pass moves.”

Pairing Mason Graham with Christian Wilkins? Now that’s a defensive front built to wreak havoc. The Raiders are making big moves this offseason, and landing Graham would be a game-changer. And while Mason moving to Chicago might be a long shot since he just might still go in the top-5 or at least before the 10th pick, if he does join Johnson, Chicago can build their defense up from there.