The Chicago Bears have made Larry Ogunjobi the face of their defensive line makeover. Ogunjobi got himself a big bag of cash from Ryan Poles.
The NFL’s legal tampering window is officially open, and the Chicago Bears strike early by agreeing to terms with Bengals defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi.
According to reports, Ogunjobi is a very rich man after a big year with the Bengals in 2021.
Larry Ogunjobi's contract with the #Bears will be a big one.
— Brad Biggs (@BradBiggs) March 14, 2022
3-year deal worth $40.5 million. It includes $26.35 million guaranteed.
The Chicago Bears got to work quickly during the opening of the NFL’s legal tampering period, reportedly agreeing to terms with Bengals interior defensive lineman Larry Ogunjobi.
The Bears’ shift to a 4-3 base defense created an immediate need at the 3-tech position, a role Ogunjobi is familiar with. Ogunjobi saw success last season, with seven sacks for the Cincinnati Bengals after four seasons with the Cleveland Browns.
Ogunjobi has started 63 of the 76 games he’s appeared in and totaled 21.5 sacks and 229 combined tackles, 41 for loss.
The Bears are quickly beginning to reshape their defensive front after trading star edge rusher Khalil Mack last week, and releasing veteran nose tackle Eddie Goldman prior to free agency. The team also let Akiem Hicks go to the market and he isn’t expected to return.
While it’s early, giving $13 million per year to a defensive lineman when your offensive depth chart is in shambles is a bold move. There are more holes on offense with a young up-and-coming quarterback. It’ll be interesting to see how they choose to address their offensive woes under the new regime.
For now, Ryan Poles sticks to what. he said he was going to do, by building the Bears from the inside out.
I’d expect an offensive lineman signing in the near future, and look for Marquez Valdes-Scantling to be one of the bigger signings by the Bears in free agency.