$10.5 Million DE With 69 Career Sacks Dubbed ‘Realistic’ Browns Target

Getty Defensive end Yannick Ngakoue, formerly of the Chicago Bears.

The Cleveland Browns didn’t have many roster holes or many draft picks entering the 2024 campaign, which has led to a relatively quiet offseason. However, with some meaningful cap space remaining, the team is likely to bulk up a few positions of relative need over the summer.

One area of potential interest is the addition of another edge rusher to a rotation led by Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett. Beyond Garrett, though, there aren’t really any splash players. That’s fine, as the Browns figure to be capable of pressuring opposing quarterbacks outside of Garrett via the play of defensive ends Za’Darius Smith (5.5 sacks), Alex Wright (5.0 sacks) and Ogbonnia Okoronkwo (4.5 sacks), per StatMuse.

Still, with $13.4 million in remaining money to spend as of Tuesday, May 14, Cleveland could do well to add another pass-rush specialist to the position group. One name recently floated by the Bleacher Report NFL Scouting Department is that of former Chicago Bears edge defender Yannick Ngakoue.

The remaining team needs are really just depth-related on defense. They have answers at the starting positions on both sides of the ball,” BR wrote. “Yannick Ngakoue is a well-traveled quarterback hunter who would add even more juice to the position group.”

Yannick Ngakoue Has Been Reliable Pass Rusher Across 8-Year NFL Career

GettyDefensive end Yannick Ngakoue, formerly of the Chicago Bears.

Ngakoue played in Chicago last season as something of an edge-rushing mercenary on one-year deal worth $10.5 million.

Coming into the year, the now 29-year-old defensive end had never finished with fewer than 8 sacks in any of his previous seven NFL campaigns. However, a lack of help prior to the arrival of Montez Sweat just ahead of the mid-season trade deadline and a subsequent broken ankle near the end of the year led to just 13 games played for Ngakoue and a career-low 4 sacks.

Ngakoue has been a journeyman during his time as a pro, playing a four-year stint with the Jacksonville Jaguars (where he was a Pro Bowler in 2017), a 2020 campaign split between the Minnesota Vikings and Baltimore Ravens, then one year each with the Las Vegas Raiders, Indianapolis Colts and Bears.

All that movement is indicative of a skill set that is more specialized and less complete overall. That said, Cleveland doesn’t need a starting defensive end who is a true three-down player. What the Browns need, arguably, is another pass rusher who can come in and create havoc as a purposeful and situational weapon.

A healthy Ngakoue still appears capable of doing that, with 69 career sacks to his name. and he should be reasonably affordable based on his recent health issues, the salary to which he agreed in Chicago and the fact that he remains a free agent as summer approaches for the second consecutive offseason.

Browns Positioned to Field One of NFL’s Top Defenses Again in 2024

GettyCleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett.

The Browns had the best defense during the 2023 regular season, allowing just 270.2 total yards per game and 2,800 passing yards, both of which ranked first in the league.

Cleveland’s success was in no small part due to the efforts of Garrett, who amassed 17 tackles for loss and 14 sacks across 16 games played while also drawing more double-teams than almost any player in the NFL.

While adding another elite pass rusher to the fold would be ideal, the Browns have limited the splash plays they can make due to an expensive roster, which Cleveland has already mortgaged its future to afford.

As such, Ngakoue is a sensible solution, especially because Bleacher Report noted that the team could also use additional depth at linebacker and in the secondary.