Bears quietly sign former Chiefs draft bust as training camp opens

Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles has brought in a few familiar faces from his tenure in the Kansas City Chiefs front office. Those sort of signings have faded over time as he's added some distance to his ties in K.C., but on Tuesday, the Bears brought around a former Chiefs pick with the signing of defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon.

The Bears announced the signings of both Kpassagnon and veteran cornerback Tre Flowers near the beginning of the team's training camp.

Kpassagnon will be familiar to Chiefs fans as a former second-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, tucked between the greatest draft selection in franchise history, quarterback Patrick Mahomes, in the first round and running back Kareem Hunt in the third.

Former general manager John Dorsey decided to make a play for Kpassagnon based on his potential after playing at Villanova, not exactly known as being a football factory. However, Kpassagnon's incredible length (35.6" arms) and size made for an envious combination that had scouts salivating at his pro potential.

Kpassagnon deserves credit for having carved out a solid NFL career. His career has lasted longer than most of his peers, but it's also true that he never blossomed in a way the Chiefs originally hoped. It took until his fourth NFL season to even become a starter on the edge, yet even then the returns were minimal—with a scant 7 sacks to show for his four seasons in Kansas City.

Fortunately for Kpassagnon, he found a bit more success after leaving K.C. in free agency for the New Orleans Saints, where he carved out another four-year stint alongside other former Chiefs like Tyrann Mathieu and Daniel Sorensen. He had 9.5 sacks in his first three years with the Saints before missing nearly all of last season due to injury.

Now over the age of 30, Kpassagnon's best days are behind him, but the Bears are hoping for a bit of a rebound campaign if he's healthy and ready to go again. Training camp will give them the chance to further evaluate a player that Poles already knows well from his days in the Chiefs front office. If he looks good, Kpassagnon might be able to extend his career to nine seasons in the NFL.