DE Yannick Ngakoue isn’t an option for Bears

“I definitely want to play for a contender, play for a team and an organization that wants to win a Super Bowl,” Ngakoue said on SiriusXM NFL Radio. “That’s one of the things on my agenda, to be able to help and contribute to that. Hopefully I can get some great interest from a contender."

This doesn’t exactly seem like just a ploy to ignite a bidding war. Luis Medina of Bleacher Nation points out that Ngakoue has done this in the past, as he “left money on the table” back in 2020 when he left the Jaguars to play with the Vikings. The mindset makes sense, as money isn’t as much of a concern at this point in his career. He’s only got so many opportunities left to get himself a ring, and he wants to give himself the best chance to do so. 

The Bears feel like they have all the pieces to compete, including a QB who’s expected to make a big jump. However, this team had a 3-14 record last year and is still in its “rebuilding” stage. It seems as if Ngakoue is trying to get with an established contender rather than a team that’s still trying to make it there, all but ruling out the Bears. 

A recent article by Heavy Sports suggests that even if Ngakoue saw the Bears as a title contender, they might not want to offer the type of contract that a player with 19.5 sacks in the last two years would warrant. The Bears still have about $32.5 million in cap space for this year, but wouldn’t want to tie up their future in a player who’s aiming for a big multi-year deal. 

Ngakoue's desire to play for a Super Bowl contender in the upcoming 2023-24 season has understandably reshaped the landscape of potential suitors. Although the Bears seem to have a glaring hole at pass rusher, which they failed to address in the draft, they may have to fill that need elsewhere.