Bears Insider Fuels Rumors of 69-Sack Pass Rusher Signing New Deal

Getty Bears head coach Matt Eberflus.

Another Chicago Bears insider believes a potential reunion with veteran pass rusher Yannick Ngakoue could come to fruition before the 2024 season.

ESPN’s Courtney Cronin recently floated the possibility of the Bears re-signing Ngakoue for the 2024 season, citing the team’s lingering need for additional pass-rushing depth. She also noted that Ngakoue — who broke his ankle in December — is “on track” to be ready to practice again in time for the start of NFL training camps in late July.

“Despite drafting Austin Booker in the fifth round, the Bears still have work to do to fortify their pass rush after finishing last season 31st in sacks (30) and with the lowest sack percentage in the NFL (4.64%),” Cronin wrote on May 23. “Re-signing edge rusher Yannick Ngakoue, who is on track to be ready for training camp after injuring his left ankle in December, remains an affordable option for the Bears to address their biggest remaining need.”

Ngakoue had career-lows in sacks (four) and quarterback hits (seven) in his first season with the Bears in 2024, but he showed signs of improvement after the team traded for star defensive end Montez Sweat on October 31. In five games with Sweat before his injury, he tallied two sacks, two tackles for loss, nine hurries and four defensive stops.

The Bears did add both Booker and veteran Jake Martin (18 career sacks in 91 games) to their roster during the offseason. If they feel they need more experience on their line to maximize their chances in 2024, though, Ngakoue and his 69 career sacks might be the perfect match.

Yannick Ngakoue Makes Sense to More than Just ESPN

Cronin is one of the most informed and respected Bears insiders covering the team right now, but she is not alone in thinking Ngakoue’s return would make sense.

At the beginning of May, The Chicago Tribune’s Dan Wierderer told 670 The Score that the team has been closely monitoring Ngakoue’s recovery throughout the offseason and has even been in contact with him and his camp. He believes a reunion could still be in play for the two sides, assuming Ngakoue does not encounter a setback with his ankle.

Since then, others — including Sports Illustrated’s Gene Chamberlain and former Bears scout Greg Gabriel — have argued the merits of Ngakoue returning to Chicago. Across the board, the thinking aligns like this: Even if the Bears are high on Booker’s long-term potential, Ngakoue knows Matt Eberflus’ defensive system and can offer them valuable experience alongside Sweat and DeMarcus Walker while they mold their young rookie.

Then again, not everyone in the local media circles believes Ngakoue would be a logical fit. Brad Biggs — Wierderer’s colleague — wrote shortly after the draft in his Q&A that Ngakoue “looked like a veteran who was just about out of juice” for the Bears in 2023.

“Maybe the Bears will seek a veteran at some point to play a reduced role, but I don’t think that player would be Ngakoue,” Biggs wrote on May 1.

Bears Limited on Alternative Free Agent EDGE Options

A big reason why Ngakoue is popularly floated as an option for the Bears is that, if they decide they need another veteran in the mix, they don’t have many other choices.

Emmanuel Ogbah and Carl Lawson are the two alternatives who could make the most sense. Ogbah is coming off a cut-short tenure with Miami and will turn 31 in November, but he had 18 sacks for the Dolphins between 2020 and 2021 and would add value as a rotational pass rusher. Lawson is less accomplished and played just six games in 2023 due to back issues, but he has still recorded 27 career sacks in 74 games.

Frankly, though, Ngakoue seems like the best choice of the three if the Bears feel good about his ankle and his health heading into 2024. While price could be a determining factor for them, it seems unlikely that Ngakoue will be looking for money similar to the one-year, $10.5 million deal he signed with Chicago in August 2023. And if signing him costs similar money to either Ogbah or Lawson, why not stick with the familiar?