NEWSLETTER
As we continue to chug along through the Chicago Bears’ offseason, a vacancy at the defensive end spot starting opposite of Montez Sweat has yet to be filled.
Meanwhile, Yannick Ngakoue remains chillin’ in free agency.
The latest from the former Bears defensive end, who shared an update in a recent segment on SiriusXM NFL radio:
Free Agent Defensive End @YannickNgakoue discussed his approach to free agency and mentioned that he has had conversations with teams…
📻 https://t.co/u2cRkasH7n#NFLFreeAgency pic.twitter.com/2xCpy76j9M— SiriusXM NFL Radio (@SiriusXMNFL) May 29, 2024
“Honestly, I haven’t really been thinking about an offer or details in specific at all,” Ngakoue said on a recent SiriusXM NFL Radio segment. “The only thing I’ve been thinking about is taking that grass again and re-establishing myself on the field as one of the fiercest competitors in the game today. So, that’s the only thing on my mind. Everything else will come after that. I have to re-establish myself and remind people of why I’m one of the best rushers. And that’s the only thing on my mind.”
Yannick Ngakoue is hoping to re-establish himself as one of the league’s best edge defenders
I can’t front. I love that Yannick Ngakoue is bringing this type of energy. Players with something to prove always come to camp with a little more juice. And after a disappointing season with the 2023 Bears, few players have more to prove than Ngakoue.
MORE: Yannick Ngakoue is “Ready to Rush” — What Does That Mean?
Yannick Ngakoue arrived in Chicago with much fanfare. Can you blame us for banging that drum when his signing went down? Ngakoue was coming off a 2022 season in which he collected 9.5 sacks, 16 quarterback hits, and 8 tackles-for-loss with the Indianapolis Colts. He was productive 65 sacks, 65 tackles-for-loss, 135 quarterback hits in 110 games from 2016-2022. Plus, he was durable — missing just four games in his first seven years as a pro. Bringing in Ngakoue was supposed to lift the profile of Chicago’s defense. For a number of reasons, that simply didn’t happen. However, that doesn’t mean Ngakoue can’t be a useful piece of a defensive puzzle.
For what it’s worth, Yannick Ngakoue looked like he was beginning to settle in while playing opposite of Montez Sweat. In four games after the Sweat trade, Ngakoue picked up 2 sacks, 2 tackles-for-loss, and 3 quarterback hits. That comes out to 8 sacks, 8 TFLs, and 13 quarterback hits on a 17-game pace. In other words, Ngakoue was starting to look like the player the Bears and their fans thought they were getting when he signed last summer. Small sample size caveats being what they are, there is a part of me that wants to see what Ngakoue would look like if given a full season playing alongside Sweat.
At this stage of his career, Yannick Ngakoue isn’t going to move the needle in a big way. But I don’t think the Bears need him to play that role. Instead, what Chicago’s football team seemingly needs is a player who can bring a sense of stability and reliable production as part of a rotation. Adding Ngakoue, or someone of his ilk, could allow Bears Head Coach (and defensive play caller) Matt Eberflus to deploy DeMarcus Walker in a variety of different ways along the defensive line. Plus, Ngakoue’s presence could help slow-play the development of rookie fifth-round pick Austin Booker.
In the end, it doesn’t have to be Yannick Ngakoue. For instance, we’ve discussed Calais Campbell as a fit who makes sense if the price is right and the interest is mutual. But it is clear that this defense could use a little something extra whenever I browse through the Bears’ depth chart. Because while Montez Sweat grades out as one of the NFL’s best edge defenders, this defense still needs some help on the other side. And I’m waiting for General Manager Ryan Poles to to address that concern.
