The Chicago Bears are signing free agent defensive end Yannick Ngakoue to a one-year deal worth $10.5 million, ESPN and NFL Network reported Thursday night.
The agreement includes $10 million in guaranteed money, per ESPN.
Ngakoue, 28, is a one-time Pro Bowl selection but entered the 2023 preseason without an NFL team after the Indianapolis Colts chose not to re-sign him in the spring.
Ngakoue started all 15 games he played for Indianapolis in 2022 and recorded 9.5 sacks and a forced fumble before finishing the season on injured reserve with a throat injury.
The Bears will be the sixth team Ngakoue plays for — and the fifth since 2020 alone — but the pass-rushing specialist has never finished an NFL season with fewer than eight sacks.
A 2016 third-round draft pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars, he had 12 sacks and an NFL-high six forced fumbles in his second NFL campaign and was chosen for the Pro Bowl. After requesting the Jaguars trade him in 2020, he was sent to the Minnesota Vikings — who in turn dealt him to the Baltimore Ravens during the 2020 season.
In his seven-year career with the Jaguars (2016-19), Vikings (2020), Ravens (2020), Las Vegas Raiders (2021) and Colts (2022), Ngakoue has amassed 65 sacks, 202 tackles (163 solo), 21 forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and two interceptions across 110 games (102 starts).
–Field Level Media