The Chicago Bears have a glaring need at edge rusher heading into the 2023 season, and it’s a position that general manager Ryan Poles has indicated could be added to this summer.
According to 670 the Score’s Chris Emma, free agent Yannick Ngakoue is interested in signing with the Bears. Per Emma, Ngakoue is “seeking a multi-year deal having played with four different teams over the last three seasons.”
It certainly helps that the Bears have roughly $32 million in salary cap space ahead of the 2023 season, which would be more than enough to get a deal done.
Ngakoue registered 9.5 sacks last season with the Indianapolis Colts, and he’s totaled at least eight sacks in each of his seven NFL seasons. By comparison, safety Jaquan Brisker led the Bears in sacks last season with four.
Chicago needs to find someone who’s going to get after the quarterback, especially coming off a 20-sack season that was the worst in the NFL. They can’t have a safety lead the team in sacks again.
The Bears’ current defensive end group is headlined by newcomer DeMarcus Walker, coming off a career year with the Tennessee Titans, and returning veteran Trevis Gipson, who’s looking to rebound following a down year. Dominique Robinson and Rasheem Green round out the rotational group.
