The Chicago Bears came into the offseason knowing that there was a lot of work to do when it came to their roster. That is usually the case when you end the season on a 10-game losing streak and go 3-14, earning the No. 1 overall pick.
Having the top pick in the draft is the only consolation to finishing that poorly. In addition to that, the Bears also had the most cap space in the NFL. With so many assets at their disposal, general manager Ryan Poles got to work upgrading the roster.
Multiple impact players were brought to Chicago in free agency as the team signed linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards, offensive guard Nate Davis and tight end Robert Tonyan. The No. 1 overall pick was traded to the Carolina Panthers as the Bears landed a strong package in return, including wide receiver D.J. Moore.
The roster has been upgraded in a major way and the improvements continued in the 2023 NFL Draft. Plenty of holes on the roster were filled, but there are still a few needs that exist. One of those needs is an edge defender.
Last season the Bears’ pass rush was nonexistent. They registered only 20 sacks with rookie safety Jaquan Brisker leading the way with 4.0. Some natural development is expected from the young roster but it wouldn’t hurt to bring in some more veteran help.
One player to keep an eye on is Yannick Ngakoue. The Bears have been predicted to sign the veteran pass rusher by PFF and the fit makes a ton of sense. Ngakoue has played for five different teams in the last four seasons, but If there is one thing that he can do it is get after the quarterback.
He has recorded at least 8.0 sacks in all seven seasons he has played thus far in his career. While Ngakoue leaves a lot to be desired setting the edge and playing against the run, that kind of consistent pass rush production is not easy to find.
Still being available at this point of the offseason is a bit surprising. Teams can never have too many pass rushers and Ngakoue is a talented one. Landing him at this point of the offseason would be a great addition for the Bears.
