The Chicago Bears’ training camp is underway with massive excitement surrounding both the offense and defense. Despite the hype, there is still concern regarding depth and talent at one of the most vital positions on defense, being the defensive end. Although Chicago has Pro Bowl edge rusher, Montez Sweat, it lacks a second credible threat across from him, despite the drafting of Kansas pass rusher Austin Booker, which renews calls for general manger Ryan Poles to bring a former Bears’ player back into the fold.
Yannick Ngakoue Is The Best Option And Potentially The Only Option left For The Bears And Their Defensive End Depth Issue
Despite having Sweat and Booker, there are many fans, media members, and even Poles to an extent that believe the team still can benefit from adding one more veteran edge rusher before the start of the season. The defensive end position has lacked credible talent since Poles took over as general manager in January of 2022, as the team has failed to consistently generate pass-rush pressure from the defensive line, until the acquisition of Sweat at the 2023 trade deadline. During training camp last season, Chicago signed Pro Bowler Yannick Ngakoue, who had been one the best sack-generators in the NFL for the last five seasons.
Before 2023, Yannick Ngakoue had recorded six seasons of eight sacks or more, along with averaging seven sacks per year for his career. He struggled with the Bears’ in the first half of last season because the defensive line did not have a credible pass rush threat on the other side, which enabled opposing offenses to dedicate all their pass-blocking focus towards the only credible threat. Through the first eight games of 2023, Ngakoue only recorded two sacks, as fans and media wondered what was causing his poor production.
With the acquisition of Sweat, there was a jump in Yannick Ngakoue’s performance, as in the five games the two Pro Bowl defensive ends played together in, Ngakoue recorded two sacks. Unfortunately, following the upset win over the Detroit Lions on December 10th, the pass-rusher was lost for the season with a broken ankle. Although Chicago’s defensive line was still able to generate pressure on opposing quarterbacks in the last four games of 2023, it appeared that adding another starting caliber defensive end was a priority in the offseason.
Unfortunately, despite there being multiple top-level defensive ends available in free agency and in the early part of the 2024 NFL Draft, the only prominent addition to the position was Booker. On Monday, the Miami Dolphins hosted Yannick Ngakoue and Emmanuel Ogbah for a workout, deciding to sign Ogbah, who has played for Miami for the last four seasons. With the Dolphins adding another edge rusher, the Bears are still in need of another defensive end with Ngakoue being the best option available, outside of a potential trade.
Signing Yannick Ngakoue as soon as possible needs to be a top priority for a litany of reasons for Poles, including having a pass rusher who has experience playing in Chicago’s Cover-2 defensive scheme. Additionally, the Bears can not afford a repeat of last season where opposing defenses were able to game plan to neutralize the team’s best defensive edge rusher, forcing others to step up and risk a drop off in sack production. Bringing Ngakoue back provides insurance if a defensive lineman goes down with an injury, while also not forcing Booker to produce immediately, resulting in his development not being hurt by being hurried.
Yannick Ngakoue Reunion Makes Too Much Sense For The Bears To Miss On The Potential Opportunity
Yannick Ngakoue is the best veteran still available in free agency at the defensive end position and is still the best option to help the Bears’ defense. Having two proven pass-rusher for a team that is looking to compete for the playoffs in 2024 is a necessity. A pairing of Sweat and Ngakoue would gives Chicago’s defense one of the best sack combinations in the league and allow the team to close more games out in the fourth quarter, something that was a significant issue in 2023.
Last season, Chicago had three losses where they blew ten-point leads or more in the fourth quarter. One of the main factors that contributed to these blown-lead losses was an inability to sack the quarterback, especially late in the fourth quarter. Against the Cleveland Browns and Detroit lions, the Bears’ defense allowed each offense to score on multiple drives in the fourth quarter, failing to record drive-ending sacks.
Not having two credible pass-rush threats could lead to Chicago facing those same outcomes again in 2024, especially if contests are close with rookie quarterback Caleb Williams struggling in his first year in the league. Having Yannick Ngakoue back up Sweat can help alleviate those concerns on whether the defense can secure victories at the end of games this season. In 2022 and 2023, Chicago’s defensive struggles attributed to many of the team’s 24 losses, with a lack of pass rush pressure by a defensive end position that lacked depth and talent during that time.
Poles has done a tremendous job overhauling Chicago’s defensive and offensive roster the last several off seasons, but more work has to be done at the defensive end position before the 2024 season starts. With the goal being the playoffs and the team still needing one more pass rusher, signing Yannick Ngakoue becomes even more significant following the Dolphins re-signing Ogbah. There are too many factors that make too much sense for Chicago not to re-sign Ngakoue and complete a roster that is just one more addition away from being whole.
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