Yannick Ngakoue gives the Bears defense exactly what it needed

Robert Scheer/IndyStar Staff-USA TODAY Sports

Yannick Ngakoue can be the missing piece for the Chicago Bears defense.

Arguably the top defensive free agent is off the board, as pass rusher Yannick Ngakoue signed a one-year deal worth $10.5 million, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

The move is the first to go down in a relatively slow market for the second wave of free agents. After WR DeAndre Hopkins signed with the Titans, it’s taken a while for the next group of free agents to find a home. RB Dalvin Cook still hasn’t found a team yet, and on the defensive side of the ball, pass rushers such as Jadeveon Clowney and Melvin Ingram remain unsigned. With the Hall of Fame game taking place yesterday, the clock is ticking for those guys to find spots before the regular season officially starts, or they could be waiting to get a call for a while.

As for Ngakoue and the Bears, this feels like a seamless fit. Ngakoue is a natural pass rusher (don’t ask him to defend the run) who has played most of his career in a hand in the dirt, four man defensive front. He doesn’t have any experience playing under Bears HC Matt Eberflus, but with the Bears running the most snaps in a four down, three LB front last year per Sports Information Solutions, Ngakoue can fit there perfectly.

Ngakoue could be a crucial missing piece for the Bears DL

Simply put, the Bears pass rushing unit was abysmal last year.

It’s normal for a team that’s as young as the Bears in every spot to not produce, but man that pass rush group couldn’t get any pressure, putting much of the defensive onus on a secondary which dealt with injuries and youth all over the place. On top of the putrid sack numbers, the Bears were last in pressure rate, meaning they weren’t even getting pressure on the QB at all. In the offseason, Chicago added Demarcus Walker on the edge and Andrew Billings up front, but those are both still subpar options in terms of pass rush. The Bears needed someone who is a threat as a pass rusher. Trevis Gipson and Dominique Robinson are all relatively unproven in that department, and adding Ngakoue will give them at least a threat in pass rush situations.

The major question here is if Ngakoue still has it as a pass rusher. Among all defensive ends last year, Ngakoue finished tied for 23rd in the NFL in total pressures and had 9.5 sacks. On the surface, those are good, passable numbers. He finished 2022 with a 10.6% pressure rate, outside of the top 50, which is a bit concerning, but he’ll still step into the Bears pass rush room and be their best option. In 2022, the Bears didn’t have a single defensive end finish the season over a 10% pressure rate. Getting Ngakoue into the room will automatically boost their pass rush unit. The Bears don’t blitz a lot either; they finished 25th in blitz rate. so they need guys who can win without that much help. That’s what Ngakoue does.

Ngakoue is a savvy pass rusher who wins with burst and speed around the edge. He has a variety of moves to get to the outside shoulder of the offensive tackle, and a few counters to work off of that, but his cross chop is the go to move. He uses it often, and when it hits, it works to perfection.

Ngakoue has been on his fair share of teams since being drafted in 2016 by the Jacksonville Jaguars. After the fallout from the Tom Coughlin in the front office era of the Jaguars, Ngakoue was traded to the Vikings, then traded to the Baltimore Ravens in 2020. Then, Ngakoue signed with the Raiders in 2021, and followed former coordinator in Jacksonville Gus Bradley to the Colts.

Why has he been on so many teams despite being a good pass rusher? Well, he’s not that great against the run. In fact, you could say he’s bad against the run. Despite being a good pass rusher, teams won’t pay him a lot of money because he’s only a pass rusher. Which is fine, but it won’t keep you on many teams for long.

Nevertheless, he should improve the Bears pass rush, an aspect that is sorely needed.