As the Chicago Bears continue to search for more pass-rushing help before the start of the 2024 regular season, there is one former Pro Bowl defensive end who is starting to seem like the obvious choice for them: Yannick Ngakoue.
Ngakoue remains the best free agent pass rusher on the market and has a history with the Bears, recording four sacks and 34 pressures in 13 games for their defense in 2023. While he finished the season on injured reserve after breaking his ankle, all indications are the 29-year-old is fully healthy and ready to play again ahead of the new season.
According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, the Bears have also been in contact with Ngakoue as they prepare for the 53-man roster cutdown on August 27. He has not been the only veteran pass rusher on the Bears’ radar recently as the team also tried to trade for Matthew Judon, but he might be the best option left with Judon now in Atlanta.
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox also believes Ngakoue’s 2024 future lies in Chicago, stating as much in his recent article that predicted landing spots for the top free agents.
“During the preseason, rookie fifth-round pick Austin Booker has looked like a player who can quickly become [Montez] Sweat’s top complement,” Knox wrote. “However, Chicago is looking to win now, and it can’t possibly have too much pass-rushing depth.”
Yannick Ngakoue Would Be Cost-Efficient DE Signing
The Bears showed they are willing to reach higher than discount signings to add edge-rushing depth with their pursuit of Judon. The latest episode of HBO’s “Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Chicago Bears” confirmed the team offered a 2025 third-round pick for Judon with a condition in place that he must also sign a contract extension.
In other words, the Bears would have given up both money and draft capital to add a 32-year-old veteran with proven production on his record to their defensive trenches. They would not do that if they believed they had enough depth on their current roster.
Naturally, Ngakoue has become the logical next-best target for the Bears. He is familiar with head coach Matt Eberflus’ defensive scheme and began to look better off the edge for the Bears once the team acquired Sweat at last year’s trade deadline. Chicago could also presumably re-sign him for 2024 at a much lower rate than they paid in 2023.
The Bears signed Ngakoue to a one-year, $10.5 million contract in early August last year, but his career-low production and injury in 2023 could force him to settle for considerably less. His best option might be to take a deal that includes performance incentives, effectively betting on himself to have a bounce-back year in 2024 — and Chicago would stand to lose very little if it offered him a deal of that nature.
The question now is will the Bears re-sign Ngakoue or stick with what they’ve got?
Could Bears Pass on Yannick Ngakoue for Waiver Wire?
As of August 22, Ngakoue feels like the best option for the Bears if they decide to sign another defensive end to their roster for the 2024 season. That could change in less than a week, though, once the other 31 NFL teams start making their roster cuts.
Every NFL team will be required to trim down to the 53-man roster limit before 4 p.m. Eastern Time next Tuesday, August 27, after the 2024 preseason slate concludes. Once the cutdown rush begins, the Bears may find there is a more appealing target available than Ngakoue who can suit their long-term needs both financially and talent-wise.
One option could be former first-round pick Payton Turner, who is on the roster bubble with the New Orleans Saints. The 6-foot-6, 270-pound defensive end has struggled with injuries and low production during his first three NFL seasons, logging just 29 tackles and three sacks over 15 career games for the Saints. Still, he is young and has the build to suit Eberflus’ scheme — if the Bears are willing to take a risk on his upside for depth.
If the Bears like Turner, they might even consider doing a late-round draft pick swap with the Saints to secure him; although, a trade might prove to be unnecessary.
