The Chicago Bears have been rumored to be in the pass rush market ever since the draft ended in May. GM Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus insisted for months the team was exploring the market. Yet, as training camp began, no moves were made. Some started to wonder if they were content with who they had. As it turns out, they were simply biding their time. The move has finally arrived as the Bears struck a deal with veteran Yannick Ngakoue for one year at $10.5 million. The 28-year-old has averaged eight or more sacks per season for his career. He is the specialist they’ve been missing on defense.
It shouldn’t be a surprise this deal came together. No team needed rush help more than Chicago after only 20 sacks last season. Ngakoue is the youngest and most proven left on the market. The Bears also had the necessary cap space to meet his demands. It’s likely the two sides had different ideas about money. Reports are that Ngakoue sought a multiyear contract. Chicago clearly didn’t want to give him one. So they decided to give him a strong payday for one year instead.
The Chicago Bears must determine how to deploy Ngakoue.
It’s obvious he will be their primary pass rusher. What isn’t certain is whether they will use him beyond that. The veteran has a longstanding reputation for bad run defense. Perhaps Eberflus and defensive coordinator Alan Williams will utilize him as a situational pass rusher. DeMarcus Walker, Trevis Gipson, and Rasheem Green will handle run-stopping duties. Either way, this move isn’t hard to understand. Ngakoue spent last year in Indianapolis. Many in the Bears organization have ties there, so they likely have good info on them.
That doesn’t include defensive line coach Travis Smith who spent a year with Ngakoue in Las Vegas. It is likely the team knows exactly how the veteran can help them. He had 9.5 sacks last season for the Colts and 10 in 2021 for the Raiders. He instantly makes the Chicago Bears defensive line more credible. While nobody would consider him a star. he has 65 sacks in his career. If you want a guy that can get to the quarterback, a team can do a lot worse than Ngakoue.
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