The Chicago Bears finally found their edge rusher in Yannick Ngakoue, who signed a one-year, $10.5 million deal with the team earlier this week.
And it’s a move fans agree has been a long time coming.
Edge rusher has been Chicago’s biggest need all offseason, where they failed to add a big name at the position during free agency and the NFL draft. Bears fans have been clamoring for the team to address the need, and general manager Ryan Poles heard their pleas.
“You’ve got to love the Bears fan base and how passionate they are,” Poles said Saturday. “If it was at my son’s baseball game—people yelling from the field, coaches at third base yelling to me—or literally on the beach in Maui, I was reminded that I need to sign a defensive end. Finally got that done.”
"U gotta love the Bears fanbase and how passionate they are bc if it was at my son's baseball game people yelling from the field, the coaches on third base yelling to me or literally on a beach in Maui, I was reminded that I need to sign a defensive end." — GM Ryan Poles
🐻⬇️ pic.twitter.com/nRZ4WK7D2B— Drunk Ryan Poles (@DrunkRyanPoles) August 5, 2023
Ngakoue has been one of the most efficient pass rushers since entering the league in 2016, where he’s totaled 65 sacks, tied for seventh most in the NFL. Nagakoue has registered 8.0 sacks in each of his seven NFL seasons, including most recently 9.5 with the Indianapolis Colts last season.
“Yannick’s going to bring leadership, energy and his pass rush here,” Poles said, “which is going to help our defense and help our team get better—also the ability to help our young guys learn that craft and the skillset to be able to get home and be consistent and dependable like he’s been throughout his career.”
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