Yannick Ngakoue Reveals Why He Was Always Meant To Be A Bear
The Chicago Bears pulled one last surprise ahead of the preseason when they locked up veteran pass rusher Yannick Ngakoue to a one-year deal at $10.5 million. It made way too much sense. The team still has serious questions about their pass rusher after an ugly 2022 season. DeMarcus Walker and Rasheem Green didn’t feel like adequate additions to solve the problem. Ngakoue changes that. He has 65 sacks in his career, averaging at least eight per season, and is still only 28 years old. He brings that speed and explosiveness off the edge they don’t really have.
Ngakoue spoke to the media for the first time on Friday. He felt the decision to side made plenty of sense. He fits the defensive system the Bears play and has ties to their defensive line coach, Travis Smith. More than that, Ngakoue has always admired the organization’s legacy on defense. He was a huge fan of Julius Peppers during his time in Chicago. It was then he revealed a fun nugget. Ngakoue has a bear tattooed on the back of his hand. To him, it felt almost like destiny that would eventually play in Chicago.
Yannick Ngakoue couldn’t have timed his arrival better.
The Bears defense had 20 sacks last season. It was one of the worst pass rush performances in franchise history and a major reason why they gave up the most points in the NFL. Ngakoue had 9.5 sacks by himself. He, along with Walker, could make for a solid combination with Justin Jones and Andrew Billings or Gervon Dexter in the middle. Perhaps Trevis Gipson can rebound from his rough 2022 season, or Dominique Robinson takes a step forward. Both have looked sharp in training camp. Either development would only strengthen the impact of his arrival.
One unit that benefits the most is the secondary. Last season, the Bears had only two games where the defense pressured the quarterback 15 or more times. In those two games, the secondary delivered three interceptions. This young unit Ryan Poles and Matt Eberflus have built is developing into something special. They’re already showing it in camp. If Yannick Ngakoue can elevate the pass rush to respectable levels, the turnovers this defense seeks will come in bunches.