The top remaining free-agent pass rusher has settled on his next destination, and it's Chicago.
One-time Pro Bowl defensive end Yannick Ngakoue and the Bears have agreed to terms on a one-year, $10.5 million deal, ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøNetwork Insider Ian Rapoport reported Thursday night.
Ngakoue is headed for his sixth franchise in five seasons, but is poised to instantly improve a Bears pass rush that's been toothless as of late, coming off an NFL-low 20 sacks as a squad in 2022.
Though Ngakoue struggles against the run, he's posted seven straight years with eight sacks or more to start his career.
No matter the jersey, Ngakoue -- who played four years with the Jaguars before stints with the Vikings, Ravens, Raiders and Colts last year -- has gotten to the quarterback.
The 27th-ranked free agent on Gregg Rosenthal's Top 101, Ngakoue said earlier in the offseason he was searching for a "stable home," something he hasn't found since his days in Duval.
With a one-year pact, he might not be in the market for a permanent home in Chicago, but he has an opportunity to prove he's still a difference-maker in his age-28 season.
Chicago has restocked its defense with free-agent additions such as Tremaine Edmunds, T.J. Edwards and rookie second-rounder Tyrique Stevenson. Ngakoue should slot into the starting lineup immediately, likely opposite with ends DeMarcus Walker or perhaps Trevis Gipson.
The Bears' eventful offseason isn't done just yet, as Ngakoue's headed to Lake Forest, Illinois, to join them in training camp with head coach Matt Eberflus hoping he's found the bona fide havoc wreaker off the edge Chicago's been pining for since the departures of Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn.
