Surprise NFC team the Chicago Bears may sign $65 million free agent and former Miami Dolphin edge rusher, Emmanuel Ogbah this offseason. According to a source, the Bears are lingering at the defense position so they may acquire Ogbah for their pass-rushing depth in an affordable deal. Chicago is in familiar territory for their defense as they have been focusing on restoring their offense. According to Pro Football Focus, the Bears’ defensive line is the weakest on the team.
Many sources note that the Bears need to improve their defense in the trenches. They couldn’t add a reliable pass-rusher to be behind Montez Sweat. This is what started the Jonathan Allen rumors since the Bears are in dire need of a new defensive piece. However, Head Coach Matt Eberflus feels comfortable about where his defense but the numbers don’t justify it.
The Bears were ranked second in points allowed per possession and an unsustainable turnover rate. ESPN’s Bill Barnwell believes that Ogbah could be worth considering he was a Super Bowl champion with the Chiefs. They took a chance on Yannick Ngakoue but he wasn’t performing up to par with what the Bears were paying. Chicago was paying him $10.5 million for a career-low of four sacks.
However, they could swoop and try to bring Ogbah on a bargain deal. He spent most of his time with the Dolphins in a limited role, returning from an injury. However, he was still managing 5.5 sacks and nine knockdowns across 128 pass-rush opportunities. Those numbers aren’t high-level but it’s enough for a team that needs some type of production at the position.
Surprise NFC Team Chicago Bears May Sign $65 Million Free Agent Emmanuel Ogbah
Him or Ngakoue?
Even though Ogbah’s star power isn’t the same anymore, he could still provide value for Chicago’s defense. However, the Bears already saw the production from Ngakoue but they were disappointing numbers. They have already Sweat but adding one more affordable pass-rusher seems to be logical. Ogbah looks to be the best option considering he could used in a situational role.
This time the Bears would have already learned their lesson from overpaying Ngakoue for the performance he put. It may not be what Chicago is looking for out of Ogbah but it’s better than not getting any pass-rusher at all. However, the Bears still have a chance at reunion for Ngakoue since they weren’t able to see his true potential. They probably would just bring him back to see if he changes things around, but that seems unlikely.
Ngakoue finished with fewer than eight sacks for the first time in his career in Chicago. However, he seems to be turning the wheel around now that Sweat is around. One should still consider Ogbah and that could be the Bears, but they may wait until training camp to decide. The OTA’s don’t start until next week so it gives Chicago time to sign an edge rusher that’s still surprisingly available.
Here are other potential team fits for Ogbah if he doesn’t sign with the Bears.
Team Fits for Ogbah
The Kansas City Chiefs are a fit considering that they have a strong pass rush and could use a veteran like him. The loss of L’Jarius Sneed displays the importance of needing to get after the quarterback more than ever. Ogbah would be a good insurance policy for a team that has a struggling rookie, Felix Anudike-Uzomah. He didn’t do much but Ogbah’s addition could help and provide a powerhouse alongside defensive tackle, Chris Jones.
However, another option would be the Ravens after their loss of Jadeveon Clowney. They probably have one of the best complete defenses so teaming up with Kyle Van Noy should be fun for Ogbah. The Saints made the gamble to take Chase Young so they could probably do the same with Ogbah.
