Tag: Bears pass rusher

Grading the Bears’ signing of DE Yannick Ngakoue

Yannick Ngakoue does one job but he does it well. This was a much-needed signing for the Bears.

The Chicago Bears pass rush finally got the boost it needed on Thursday evening thanks to the signing of free agent defensive end Yannick Ngakoue. The 28-year old pass rusher signed a one-year deal worth $10.5 million and instantly upgrades the team’s front seven after they struggled mightily to put pressure on the quarterback in 2022.

Ngakoue is entering his seventh season in the league and has bounced around quite a bit the last few years. Following a strong start to his career with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Ngakoue spent time with the Minnesota Vikings, Baltimore Ravens, Las Vegas Raiders, and most recently with the Indianapolis Colts. He totaled 29 total tackles (eight for a loss), 9.5 sacks and one forced fumble during his lone season in Indy.

Now Ngakoue comes to the Bears as a reinforcement to upgrade their pass rush, which was abysmal last season. The Bears only sacked the quarterback 20 times in 2022 and 6.5 of those sacks came from the defensive end position via Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic. Ngakoue essentially would have accounted for half of all the Bears sacks last season.

The signing felt inevitable, but was still a welcome one nevertheless. Here is our initial grade of the deal.

Robert Quinn aiming to take advantage of having Khalil Mack opposite him

There’s an obvious advantage lining up opposite Khalil Mack, and new Bears EDGE Robert Quinn is ready to take advantage of 1-on-1 chances.

There’s an obvious advantage lining up opposite three-time All-Pro pass rusher Khalil Mack. With Mack likely to garner double, sometimes triple teams, whoever lines up on the opposite side should have a better opportunity to get after the quarterback with more one-on-one opportunities.

It was something that former first-round outside linebacker Leonard Floyd couldn’t capitalize on in the previous two seasons. But the Bears are banking on former All-Pro Robert Quinn being the answer opposite Mack, as evidenced by the five-year, $70 million deal they signed him to in free agency.

Quinn acknowledged as much during a conference call with reporters Friday, where he discussed the advantage that comes with having Mack garnering more attention.

“He’s probably gonna get the double-teams or more attention,” Quinn said. “Hopefully that frees me up a little bit and I can take advantage.”

It’s not a hope, but an expectation at this point. Considering Quinn’s resurgence in Dallas last season, where he amassed 11.5 sacks, the belief is that opposing teams will be overwhelmed with Chicago’s pass rush, where you’ve got Mack and Quinn coming off the edge.

Considering Quinn’s success as a pass rusher — he’s had five seasons with at least 8.5 sacks — it’s exciting to think what he can do with that added advantage of having Mack as his partner in crime.

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A coin-flip decision: Robert Quinn chose signing with Bears over Falcons

How close was Bears EDGE Robert Quinn to not joining Chicago’s dominant defense? Apparently, it was a coin-flip decision.

The Chicago Bears signed former All-Pro edge rusher Robert Quinn to line-up opposite one of the best in the game in Khalil Mack. But just how close was Quinn to not joining Chicago’s dominant defense?

Apparently, it was a coin-flip decision.

But not an actual coin flip, as previously thought. When describing his decision to sign with the Bears over the Atlanta Falcons, Quinn compared it to a coin flip, noting that he was 50-50.

Even if Quinn flipped an actual coin, it doesn’t matter. Ultimately, Quinn is in Chicago and looking to add some swagger to a Bears’ pass rush that had an off year in 2019.

Quinn had 11.5 sacks last season with the Dallas Cowboys — and that was without Mack on the other side. Just imagine what Quinn can do with Mack pulling those double-teams. It’s everything the Bears were hoping for with Leonard Floyd.

Obviously joining a Bears defense with guys like Mack, Akiem Hicks, Eddie Goldman, Eddie Jackson, Danny Trevathan and Kyle Fuller has its perks. This is a group that, even on a down year, still managed to dominate.

And I’m sure that $70-million contract didn’t hurt either when Quinn was making his decision.

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PFF thinks the Bears should regret trading for Khalil Mack. Seriously.

Khalil Mack’s impact on the Bears defense has been undeniable. And yet, there are some that think Chicago regrets the trade. For real.

Before the start of the 2018 season, the Chicago Bears traded a handful of draft picks — two first-round picks in 2019 and 2020, a third-round pick in 2020, and a sixth-round pick in 2019 — to the Oakland Raiders for arguably the best defensive player in the league in Khalil Mack.

Right after trading for Mack, the Bears made him the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history offering him a six-year, $141 million dollar extension.

In two seasons with the Bears, his impact has been undeniable. Mack has played in 30 games with 21.0 sacks and 77 solo tackles. But his impact extends beyond just the numbers.

I was just enjoying my Monday, scrolling threw Twitter, when I saw a couple of guys from Pro Football Focus put the move on blast.

Now, for the second year in a row, the Bears won’t have a first-round pick due to the Mack trade. Which is okay, because they traded for arguably the best defensive player in the league. And those type of players don’t come around often.

Although if the Bears did have a first-round pick, Ryan Pace would love to add a quarterback like Justin Herbert or Tua Tagovailoa. But I’m sure Pace would rather have a defensive player like Mack on his team.

Mack’s impact on defense forces opposing coaches to game-plan against him each and every week, and you just can’t say that about most players in the NFL.

So, therefore, PFF can stop talking trash about the Bears. Because, no, the Bears shouldn’t regret trading for a talent like Mack.

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Bleacher Report grades Bears free agent/trade acquisitions

The Bears made some moves in the early wave of free agency adding to their offense and defense. But not all were met with optimism.

The Chicago Bears made some moves in the early wave of free agency adding to their offense and defense. But not all were met with optimism.

The Bears’ first signing wasn’t one that inspired much confidence in the addition of veteran tight end Jimmy Graham. Given general manager Ryan Pace’s history with Graham — he was in New Orleans when the Saints drafted Graham — it’s not a complete surprise. And if the Bears had gotten him for a discount, it would’ve made sense.

But the fact of the matter is that Pace gave Graham a two-year, $16 million deal with $9 million guaranteed. Which compared to some of the other tight end acqusitions in free agency — notable Eric Ebron’s cheaper deal — makes Pace look like a fool.

Bleacher Report gave the Bears’ signing of Graham a “D” grade.

Jimmy Graham: D

But an $8 million average annual salary for a washed-up Jimmy Graham might look silly if Eric Ebron signs a similar deal. Ebron remains on the open market, is seven years younger than Graham and is a year removed from a breakout campaign in which he led all tight ends with 13 touchdown catches.

Graham has only five touchdown grabs in his last two seasons combined. He hasn’t scored since October, and he looked to be running out of gas down the stretch in 2019. 

The Bears bolstered their already-dominant defense with the signing of pass rusher Robert Quinn. After parting ways with Leonard Floyd, Pace brought in someone with proven production to line up opposite Khalil Mack.

Quinn is coming off a solid outing with the Cowboys last season, where he notched 11.5 sacks, and you figure his production should only get better when one of the game’s best is lining up on the other side.

Bleacher Report gave the Bears’ signing of Quinn a “C” grade.

Robert Quinn: C

In theory, pairing Quinn with Khalil Mack could give Chicago one of the most feared one-two punches on the edge in the league. There was a time when an argument could be made that Quinn was the best pass-rusher in football.

But that time was 2013. Since 2014, Quinn has just one season with double-digit sacks. He’s missed time in four of the last five seasons, including two games a year ago. And the Bears now have tied up close to 20 percent of their cap space in two pass-rushers—one of whom will turn 30 in May.

Chicago made its quarterback room better with the addition of veteran Nick Foles via trade with the Jaguars. Not only does Foles have experience operating in an Andy Reid offense, but he also has history with head coach Matt Nagy, offensive coordinator Bill Lazor and quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo.

Whether you believe Foles will win the starting job or not, there’s no denying that have his veteran presence and leadership will only make this team better.

Bleacher Report gave the Bears’ trading for Foles a “B+” grade.

Nick Foles: B+

Foles isn’t an insurance plan; he’s competition for Trubisky’s starting job. The eight-year veteran is due $15.1 million in base salary this season.

The Super Bowl LII MVP played one season with the Kansas City Chiefs when Bears head coach Matt Nagy first became Andy Reid’s offensive coordinator. That familiarity should create an instant comfort level for Foles.

Trubisky’s continued development is no longer the Bears’ primary concern since Foles could easily end up Chicago’s starter sooner rather than later.

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5 things to know about new Bears pass rusher Robert Quinn

The Bears defense got better with the addition of All-Pro pass rusher Robert Quinn. Let’s get to know Khalil Mack’s new partner-in-crime.

The Chicago Bears defense got better in free agency with the addition of All-Pro pass rusher Robert Quinn.

Quinn comes to the Bears after a nine-year career, and he’s coming off of his second-best season since joining the NFL. Quinn notched 11.5 sacks and 22 quarterback hits for the Cowboys, where it was hard to find anything to love about Dallas’ defense.

The Bears pass rush, which struggled last season, only serves to get better with pairing a couple of All-Pros with a nose for getting after the quarterback.

Let’s get to know Khalil Mack’s new partner-in-crime:

1. Quinn knows how to get after the quarterback

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

The Bears just made their already dominant defense even more potent with the addition of Robert Quinn. There was no one, other than Green Bay’s Za’Darius Smith, that pressured quarterbacks more than Quinn last season.

Quinn generated the second-highest quarterback pressure rate on 14.0% of pass rushes last season. Also, Quinn’s average pass rush get-off time (0.80 seconds) ranked fifth among edge rushers with at least 300 pass rushes in 2019. He also added 11.5 sacks, which was the second-highest of his career.

Just imagine what Quinn can accomplish on this Bears defense with Khalil Mack lining up opposite him.

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Free Agency: Grading the Bears’ signing of EDGE Robert Quinn

The Bears upgraded their pass rush with the signing of All-Pro Robert Quinn. So how does this free agent signing grade?

While pass rush was certainly a need, it wasn’t at the top of the list for the Bears this offseason. But Chicago just added an All-Pro pass rusher to line up opposite Khalil Mack, and suddenly the Bears’ already-dominant defense looks unblockable.

The Bears agreed to terms with All-Pro edge rusher Robert Quinn on a five-year deal worth $70 million with $30 million guaranteed. With the signing, Chicago released former first-round pick Leonard Floyd and freed up $13.2 million in salary cap space.

Quinn is most definitely an upgrade over Floyd. In fact, he’s everything Floyd was not. Considering what Quinn was able to do without a force like Mack lined up across from him, there’s no doubt that he’ll be able to take advantage of Mack’s presence in a way that Floyd could not.

While Quinn will be 30 years old when this season begins, he’s in the prime of his career. Quinn is coming off an All-Pro season with the Cowboys, where he notched 11.5 sacks. Over his career, Quinn has averaged nine sacks per season.

By comparison, the most sacks Floyd managed in a single season was seven. Not to mention Floyd’s sack total has declined every year he’s been in the NFL.

It’s interesting to note that Quinn is just two years older than Floyd — and he’s everything the Bears were hoping to get out of Floyd. Given that Floyd was due $13.2 million in 2020 and Quinn is looking at roughly $14 million per season, it was an easy decision for general manager Ryan Pace.

When you look at Chicago’s front-seven, it’s impossible not to get excited, especially about what Quinn brings to the table.

Khalil Mack. Robert Quinn. Akiem Hicks. Eddie Goldman. Bilal Nichols. Roquan Smith. Danny Trevathan.

You can’t block everyone. Pick your poison.

Bears fans haven’t seen what a pass rusher is capable of doing opposite Mack on this defense. They’re about to see with Quinn.

Grade: A

What do you think, Bears fans? How would you grade Chicago’s signing of Quinn?

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Twitter reacts to Bears signing pass rusher Robert Quinn – they’re ready for some football

The Bears bolstered their dominant defense by signing Robert Quinn. And it’s safe to say this addition went over better than Jimmy Graham.

The Chicago Bears bolstered their already dominant defense with the addition of pass rusher Robert Quinn. Chicago agreed to terms with Quinn on a five-year deal worth $70 million with $30 million guaranteed.

The Bears are also releasing former first-round pick Leonard Floyd, which will free up $13.2 million in cap space Floyd was due with his fifth-year option.

Quinn had an impressive year for the Cowboys last season, where he notched 11.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. Imagining Quinn and Khalil Mack, along with Akiem Hicks and Eddie Goldman, getting after the quarterback is almost too good to imagine.

Yet, it’s reality.

And it’s safe to say that this free-agent move went over exactly the opposite that the Jimmy Graham signing did yesterday.

Even the NFC East appreciates the move.

Let us not forget what opposing teams will have to deal with next season.

Now, if only the Bears can fix the offense.

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Bears to sign pass rusher Robert Quinn to 5-year deal worth $70M

The Bears made a monster move at arguably the 2nd-most important position on the roster at edge rusher, agreeing to terms with Robert Quinn.

The Chicago Bears made a monster move at arguably the second-most important position on the roster at edge rusher.

The Bears agreed to terms with former Cowboys pass rusher Robert Quinn on a monster 5-year deal worth $70 million with $30 million fully guaranteed.

Quinn is coming off a big year with the Cowboys, where he had 11.5 sacks and two forced fumbles in 2019. With the addition of Quinn opposite stud pass rusher Khalil Mack, the Bears have seriously upgraded their pass rush.

This move signals the end of Leonard Floyd’s less-than-illustrious career in Chicago, where his sack total declined every year since he entered the NFL. Last season, Floyd mustered just three sacks and couldn’t take advantage of lining up opposite Mack.

In parting ways with Floyd, the Bears have freed up $13.2 million in salary cap space.

The Bears have only strengthened the strongest aspect of their team: Defense.

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