One Chicago Bears Move That Feels Almost Inevitable Now

Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles has done almost everything necessary to help improve his team this off-season. He added two legitimate options at center with Ryan Bates and Coleman Shelton. He swung a trade for star wide receiver Keenan Allen, bolstering the team's firepower. D'Andre Swift provides much-needed explosiveness at running back. Kevin Byard fills the void left by Eddie Jackson at safety. Everybody knows Caleb Williams will step in at quarterback once the draft kicks off. Most of the work is complete. However, one lingering problem remains.

They have a noticeable void at edge rusher.

Montez Sweat is the unquestioned big dog of the Bears' defensive front. DeMarcus Walker is another valuable presence, but nobody would consider him a true hunter off the edge. He's more of a versatile inside-outside utility weapon. This void leaves many believing Poles will have no choice but to spend the Bears' #9 pick on the best edge rusher available. There is one problem. All signs point to Chicago targeting an offensive player at that spot to help Williams, be it a wide receiver or offensive tackle.

If that is true, it leaves the edge rusher spot in an awkward place. Based on all the options left on the table, the move for Poles becomes obvious.

The Chicago Bears should bring back Yannick Ngakoue.

Nobody will say the veteran pass rusher had an ideal 2023 season. He finished with only four sacks in 13 games, missing the final four with a broken ankle. Yet, it is important to have context. Ngakoue managed only two sacks and four QB hits over the first eight games of last year. He had two sacks and three QB hits in the five games he played with Sweat after the trade deadline acquisition. It was clear Ngakoue benefitted greatly from his presence and was starting to take advantage. Sadly, the ankle injury occurred just as he was finding a groove.

Now he is a free agent. No team has signed him to this point. Historically, Ngakoue tends to take his time before signing somewhere. He didn't land in Chicago last year until August 3rd. That said, unless the Chicago Bears plan to take a pass rusher at #9, they have plenty of good reasons to bring him back. He is still an effective player despite approaching his 30s. A trio of him, Sweat, and Walker would be more than serviceable for this season, buying the Bears time until 2025, when they can revisit the edge rusher question in the draft.

The tricky part will be the price. It cost Chicago $10 million to sign Ngakoue last year. Given his low sack production and injury setback, it is reasonable to assume they'd like to bring him back at a lower amount. Whether he'd accept that is the big question.