Defensive lineman Larry Ogunjobi signed a new contract with the Chicago Bears. Ogunjobi spent the 2021 season with the Cincinnati Bengals.
The #Bears are expected to sign #Bengals DT Larry Ogunjobi, source said. A huge piece in the middle.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 14, 2022
Larry Ogunjobi, Chicago Bears, Agree to Contract
Larry Ogunjobi got his start thanks to the Cleveland Browns selecting him in the third round of the 2017 draft. His rookie season was modest as he appeared in 14 games, starting one. The defensive tackle earned just one sack and came up with 32 tackles, four of which for loss.
He broke out in 2018 for Cleveland. Ogunjobi started all 16 games and his presence was felt on a weekly basis. The 3T secured 5.5 sacks, tied for the most in his time in Cleveland. Ogunjobi tallied 52 total tackles, 10 for loss, forced a fumble, and recorded 15 quarterback hits. The best game of his sophomore campaign came in a loss to the Saints where he recorded a pair of sacks and a trio of quarterback hits.
Year three in Cleveland was just as productive as year two. Ogunjobi started 15 games, recorded another 5.5 sacks, 35 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and 13 quarterback hits. He even recorded his lone pass deflection in Week 9 against the Broncos. The NFL suspended him for Week 12 due to an altercation on the field during the season.
His 2020 campaign was a step back in terms of production. In 15 games for the Browns, Ogunjobi recorded just 2.5 sacks, 46 tackles, five tackles for loss, and six quarterback hits.
Cleveland allowed him to test free agency, and he ended up in Cincinnati on a one-year prove-it deal. His play in Cincinnati has been described as inconsistent, but he put up career numbers alongside D.J. Reader and Trey Hendrickson. Ogunjobi, in 16 games, recorded seven sacks, good for third-most on the team. He recorded 49 tackles, 12 for loss, and 16 quarterback hits. The culmination of his 2021 campaign was his recovering of a Derek Carr fumble early on in the Bengals win over the Raiders in the playoffs. An injury cut Ogunjobi’s playoffs short.
Before his injury, Ogunjobi was a reliable piece of the Bengals interior defensive line in the pass rush. He’s a pass-rush specialist at the 3T and has been a starter for the last four seasons.
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