Still, Ogbah could have value to a Bears defense that already has a star in Montez Sweat and is looking for more of a rotational addition than an every-down defensive end.

“Those numbers aren’t going to project to All-Pro production over a full workload — Ogbah is probably best spotted in a situational role at this point of his career — but the Bears need bodies in their edge rotation,” Barnwell wrote on May 14. “Getting 300 snaps of solid pass-rushing performance from Ogbah for $2 million or so would be a good deal for GM Ryan Poles.”

Would Bears Prefer to Sign Emmanuel Ogbah or Bring Back Yannick Ngakoue?

Barnwell is not the only one who thinks the Bears could consider signing Ogbah. Former Bears scout Greg Gabriel also floated the possibility in a recent article for Windy City Gridiron, in which he stressed the need for the Bears to sign another veteran defensive end to address their “glaring weakness” opposite Sweat.

“Ogbah is 30 years old, and because of what happened in Miami, it may not be what the Bears are looking for, but I wouldn’t totally count him out,” Gabriel wrote.

That said, Gabriel still thinks there is a chance the Bears could explore a reunion with Yannick Ngakoue in 2024. Ngakoue finished with fewer than eight sacks for the first time in his career with Chicago in 2023 and had his season cut short in December when he broke his ankle, but he seemed to start turning things around once Sweat arrived.

In five games opposite Sweat, Ngakoue notched two sacks, two tackles for loss, nine quarterback hurries and four defensive stops for the Bears. The team would need to feel good about Ngakoue’s recovery before giving him serious signing consideration, but his familiarity with Matt Eberflus’ defense could give him an edge over outside veterans.