Edge rusher Yannick Ngakoue joins first Bears practice
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Defensive end Yannick Ngakoue took the practice field for the first time as a Chicago Bear on Tuesday, though he wasn't doing too much on his first day.
The 2017 Pro Bowler did not take part in team drills during a lighter day at Halas Hall, and the team did not practice in pads, after having Monday off following Sunday's Family Fest at Soldier Field.
Ngakoue, 28, signed a 1-year, $10.5 million deal with the Bears last week, addressing a gaping hole on the Bears defensive line, after they finished last season dead last in sacks. Ngakoue has at least 8 sacks in each of his seven seasons in the NFL, including 9.5 sacks last year. As a team, the Bears had only 20 total sacks in 2022.
Meantime, rookie defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. has been putting in the work every day as he looks to make an impact on the interior of the defensive line.
"I like to do extra. I think, like I said ... you'll be good if you do the thins that you're supposed to do, but the great ones put in that extra work. So I try to do extra film, I try to get out there a little early," Dexter said.
Special teams coordinator Richard Hightower called it an "outstanding day" of practice, and it was a mostly crisp day, including a well-executed two-minute drill by quarterback Justin Fields and the first team offense, setting up a 50-yard field goal in the final seconds.
Tight end Cole Kmet, who's becoming a veteran himself, said he's happy to see the Bears bring in guys like Ngakoue and new tight end Marcedes Lewis, who's entering his 18th season in the NFL.
"It's a big value for the team, because those guys know how to practice. They know how to go to meetings, how to operate in meetings, and I think that's good for everybody to see. You know, I still consider myself so fortunate that I had a guy like Jimmy Graham my rookie year and second year to kind of learn from that, and see how his process was. You know, a lot of guys didn't have that last year. When you bring those guys in, you can kind of shut up. listen, and see how they do things," Kmet said.
For some perspective on how long Lewis has been in the league, Kmet said he and his brother collected cards as kids, and Lewis was their first football jersey card, and he thinks it still may be in an old box at home.
The Bears also released their first depth chart of the summer.
Not too many surprises, although a couple veterans like cornerback Kindle Vildor and defensive end Trevis Gipson find themselves well down the chart and possibly fighting for a roster spot. Also, Velus Jones Jr. is listed as the #1 kick returner and punt returner. Hightower said Jones is growing in his second year, and has "shown he deserves to be where he is on that chart."