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The Bears are looking to improve from their 3 - 14 record from last season and make a push for a winning record. One way is to improve their defense that allowed the most points per game in 2022 (27.2 points).
There could be help on the way in the form of Pro Bowl defensive end Yannick Ngakoue. Multiple reports state that Ngakoue wants to join the Bears this offseason.
The 28-year-old last played for the Colts last season, getting 9.5 sacks in 15 starts. Brats general manager Ryan Poles commented on the need improve at the defensive end position when it comes to Ngakoue joining the team:
"Obviously, there’s no certainty. It takes two to make sure it works out. So, there's a level of patience that comes with it. There’s no guarantee."
In Yannick Ngakoue's seven seasons in the NFL, he has registered at least eight sacks in each of those seasons. He has two double-digit sack seasons to his name, most recently with the Las Vegas Raiders in the 2021 season with 10 sacks.
The Chicago Bears had a tough time getting into the opponents backfield in the 2022 season, finishing last in the league with 20 sacks. Rookie safety Jaquan Brisker led the team in sacks with four last season.
Signing a player of Ngakuoe's caliber seems to be a priority for Poles and Chicago entering the upcoming season.
How much could the Bears have to pay to sign Yannick Ngakoue?
In March 2021, Ngakoue signed a fully guaranteed two-year, $26 million deal with the Raiders. He was traded by Las Vegas to the Indianapolis Colts last season.
The defensive end is rumored to be seeking a multi-year contract. Per Spotrac, his market value is a four-year deal worth $14.8 million per season.
Looking at the Bears cap situation, they led all teams with $34.8 million in cap space according to OverTheCap. We'll see if Chicago and Ngakoue can reach an agreement as training camp is getting into full swing.
If you use any of the above quotes, please credit Audacy, 670 The Score, and H/T Sportskeeda.
