Chicago Bears: 5 Under-the-radar free agent targets in 2020

2. Ezekiel Ansah

The Chicago Bears need to decide whether to keep Leonard Floyd at the $13.22 million option they picked up on him, rework his contract and make it a multiyear deal at a smaller salary cap hit, or just let him walk away and save all that money.

If they decide to part ways with Floyd, they could sign Ezekiel Ansah on a short deal. He was the Detroit Lions’ first-round pick (5th overall) of the 2013 draft. He recorded 14.5 sacks in 2015 and 12 in 2017. He was injured in 2018, however, and played in only seven games.

The Seattle Seahawks signed him in 2019 but he played in 11 games and lined up for just 32 percent of the defensive snaps. He recorded just 2.5 sacks but did register four quarterback knockdowns and 10 pressures.

Before you start screaming “Another Floyd!” remember he played in only 32 percent of the snaps. If you average it out to a full-time player then his numbers look better.

Ansah is a good professional. Teaming him up with Khalil Mack should help him return to his double-digit sack days, and if he does that Mack stops seeing so many double teams and can return to his dominating self. Floyd provided no help for Mack in the duo’s time together.

Ansah can be had for a one year deal and he’d jump at the chance to play on an elite defense alongside the great Mack. Additionally, he has 6.5 career sacks in nine games against the hated Green Bay Packers. If he and Mack can neutralize Aaron Rodgers then the Bears have a leg up on winning the NFC North.