NEWSLETTER
The last time we were thinking about Yannick Ngakoue was in mid-December when a broken ankle took him out for the final stretch of games of the 2023 regular season.
Five months later, here we are with Ngakoue sharing an update on his status:
I am trying not to read too much into a nine-second video clip of Yannick Ngakoue working on a drill in early May. However, I won’t deny that seeing him working out on that ankle just 141 days after going on injured reserve is encouraging as heck. Hence, I am sharing with the world. Once a Bear, always a Bear — right? Football is hard. So is returning from injury. With that being said, I’ll always pull for injured players to work themselves back into playing shape. At a minimum, it is a fun story to root for as a fan.
Plus, seeing Ngakoue post a workout video gives me runway to explore if a reunion with the Bears could be in the works.
Yannick Ngakoue was Chicago’s splash free-agent addition of last summer. Unfortunately, it did not play out as well as any of us were hoping. Ngakoue averaged 9 sacks, 9 tackles for loss, and 19 quarterback hits per season from 2016-22, but had only 4 sacks, 6 tackles-for-loss, and 7 quarterback hits in 13 games for the Bears in 2023. For what it’s worth, Ngakoue’s production was picking up at the time of his injury. It appeared as if the Montez Sweat acquisition was freeing up Ngakoue on the other side of the defense line of scrimmage. But that ankle injury against the Cleveland Browns in Week 14 put a premature end to Ngakoue’s end-of-season push. What a bummer.
However, maybe we haven’t seen the last of Ngakoue in a Bears uniform.
Running it back with Yannick Ngakoue could be a good idea worth exploring for the Bears
Yannick Ngakoue is still a free agent. The 29-year-old remains out on the open market, unsigned, and looking like he is ready to get back into the swing of things. And seeing video shared by Ngakoue has me wondering if it would make sense for the Bears to bring him back into the fold.
Ngakoue already has familiarity with the scheme and coaches. Plus, the Bears haven’t filled his role with a sure-fire upgrade. Yes, I think Austin Booker could be a long-term solution in that role. But I don’t want to put too much on a Day 3 rookie’s plate upon arrival. DeMarcus Walker showed last year that he can hold down the fort as a rotational player, but I like him more as a versatile player who you can plug into different spots depending on the situation. At a minimum, re-signing Ngakoue would help lengthen Chicago’s defensive line. And you know what I say about how there is no such thing as having too much D-line depth.
But it takes two to dance. For a Yannick Ngakoue reunion with the Bears to come together, both parties will need to agree that it is what is best for them in 2024. For what it is worth, that shouldn’t be too hard of a pitch for either side. The Bears can make a case that familiarity with defensive coaches would have its perks. And there is a clear role for him in Chicago. Plus, I don’t imagine selling the dream of playing on a defense that has the potential to perform at a higher level in tandem in an improved offense led by Caleb Williams would be too hard.
Meanwhile, Yannick Ngakoue can point to the vacancy he left behind as starting defensive end and note that it hasn’t been filled just yet. On top of that, we know Ngakoue works well with younger players. After watching Ngakoue work with Gervon Dexter Sr. after a training camp practice last year, I’d be down to see him do the same with rookie Austin Booker after a summertime practice at Halas Hall. But maybe Ngakoue wants something more than an experience he just had a year ago. Hence, I’m not willing to take a leap and suggest this as a perfect fit. Ideal? Sure. Perfect, not quite.
In the end, I find myself thinking that a Yannick Ngakoue-Chicago Bears reunion is something that could help both sides. The Bears could upgrade their defensive line with a veteran presence with a proven track record. Ngakoue can re-establish himself on a one-year deal before re-entering the market in search of a multi-year contract with another team. It is the kind of win-win scenario that teams and players should be seeking this time of year. Maybe there is something to be had here. If not, then there are some other free agent targets who could make sense as Bears fits. Stay tuned.
