Larry Ogunjobi a foundation piece for Ryan Poles, Chicago Bears defense
The Chicago Bears emphasized getting more robust in the trenches and followed that plan thus far by signing Larry Ogunjobi.
Ryan Poles’ tenure as GM of the Chicago Bears will be predicated on quarterback play and line of scrimmage play. Enter defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the 27-year old defensive tackle, formerly of the Cincinnati Bengals, is signing a three-year deal worth $40.5 million with $26.35 million in guaranteed money. Given his age and the money, it makes sense.
This likely assures that Akiem Hicks will be moving on and potentially Bilal Nichols as well. Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus have been looking for a solid 3-technique defensive tackle and will likely also add to that position in the draft. This is not Ryan Pace running the show, and the survey says that it’s Poles’ turn to host the program.
In the meantime, Chicago is fortunate to land a relatively young player who is coming off a productive season. Last year, while Cincinnati was heading to the Super Bowl, Ogunjobi recorded seven sacks, 12 TFLs, and 16 total QB hits. Unfortunately, a foot injury in the playoffs derailed his season and cost him a chance to play in the big game.
That does beg the question, however. If Ryan Poles is a stickler for health and durability, then why did Ogunjobi come up and get such a massive deal? It’s not an automatic no, but there are some questions about whether he can improve on his breakout prove-it season.
Larry Ogunjobi is a help to the Chicago Bears, but more significant concerns lie beyond his position
The defensive line is key to successful trench play. The same can be said for the offensive line. For the Bears, the offensive line continues to be the biggest issue and will stay like that until it is addressed. You need only see the last couple of seasons and the tape that resonates to understand the desire.
Getting Larry Ogunjobi is well and good and most certainly fills a need. But Justin Fields can only do so much with limited protection. It would be in the Bears’ best interest to find players that can stay the course upfront. There is still plenty of time left in free agency to do that as well as in the draft, but Chicago will likely need to trade for more picks to ensure more chances at stability.
In the meantime, getting Ogunjobi has filled a need and only requires depth behind him which can be a boon. Poles made it clear that the previous regime did not provide adequate resources to the trenches, on both sides. Getting a defensive tackle of Ogunjobi’s character is one step in the right direction.