The Chicago Bears bolstered their pass rush on Friday by adding free-agent defensive end Yannick Ngakoue.
The Bears officially announced the move on their social media but didn’t reveal the details of the agreement. According to multiple reports, Ngakoue inked a one-year deal that will see him earn up to $10.5 million in 2023.
The Bears were in dire need of pass-rush help after being one of the worst teams in terms of getting to the quarterback in 2022. Chicago had 20.0 sacks as a unit in all of the last season, with safety Jaquan Brisker being their leader in sacks with 4.0.
Adding Ngakoue will go a long way in making the Bears’ defense more dangerous for opposing quarterbacks. The 28-year-old had 9.5 sacks last season despite playing for a struggling Indianapolis Colts team and never had less than 8.0 sacks in a single year since entering the league in 2016.
“I just feel like it was a great fit,” Ngakoue said in a chat with Bears’ official website. “Going back to what this culture means here, just the history here, and also, it’s a great transition — easy transition — with my position coach and my defensive coordinator.”
