Former Bears Pass Rusher, 1st-Rounder Signs With Contender

One of the NFL’s best remaining free agent pass rushers — and a former Chicago Bears top 10 draft pick — is taking his talents to an AFC contender.

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Buffalo Bills are signing veteran pass rusher Leonard Floyd to a one-year contract for the 2023 season. He will now reunite with former Los Angeles Rams teammate Von Miller on the Bills’ defensive line and look to win his second Super Bowl ring after earning one two postseasons ago with L.A.

“Source: The Bills are making a late splash in free agency, agreeing to terms with former #Rams standout pass rusher Leonard Floyd,” Rapoport tweeted. “He gets a one-year deal after nine sacks last season. And Buffalo adds another key player on the edge.”

Floyd — who the Bears took at No. 9 overall in the 2016 NFL draft — collected 29 sacks, 137 pressures and 184 total tackles over the past three seasons with the Rams and was a reliable complement off the edge for seven-time All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald. While Floyd won’t have a three-time Defensive Player of the Year wreaking havoc from the interior in Buffalo, the Bills are betting his presence can help boost their pass rush alongside Miller, Greg Rousseau and the newly extended defensive tackle Ed Oliver.

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Bears Eyeing ‘A Lot’ of Free Agents Ahead of Season

In terms of the Bears, Floyd’s signing is notable for the fact that it takes another one of the market’s best remaining pass-rushing talents off the board. Chicago might not have been interested in a reunion with its former No. 9 overall pick, even with a new regime, but the Bills adding him still gives the Bears one less option to consider for next season.

The Bears added DeMarcus Walker (three years, $21 million) and Rasheem Green (one year, $2.5 million) to their defensive end room during free agency and have starters Trevis Gipson and Dominique Robinson set to return from last year, but there is still a lack of veteran pass-rushing experience in the room that the Bears themselves have said they are looking to address. Most recently, head coach Matt Eberflus told reporters during the second week of OTAs that they had “a lot” of free agents in their sights.

“We’re interested in a lot of free agents, we’re interested in a lot of guys at all positions right now,” Eberflus said on May 31. “We’re just excited about being able to look at those guys and potentially add as we go through camp and getting closer to the season.”

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Who Are Bears Best Free Agent Options at EDGE?

The most sensible fit for the Bears still seems to be Yannick Ngakoue, who has tallied at least eight sacks in all seven of his career seasons in the NFL. The former Las Vegas Raiders and Indianapolis Colts pass rusher has the desired sack production and experience in a 4-3 defensive system like Eberflus’, but the 28-year-old recently told SiriusXM NFL Radio that he is looking to sign a “multi-year deal” with a contender and might be a hard sell for the still-rebuilding Bears.

Otherwise, the market is slim. Frank Clark has championship experience after a strong run in Kansas City and familiarity with Bears general manager Ryan Poles, but he, too, is likely to want to join an immediate contender to maximize the final seasons of his career. Jadeveon Clowney has a high ceiling, but his price tag might be too much for the injury concerns that have clouded the past several years of his career.

Dawuane Smoot, a former Jacksonville Jaguars third-round pick, could give the Bears a good value option. He is coming off a season-ending Achilles injury in 2022, but he has racked up 22.5 sacks, 52 quarterback hits 24 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries over the past four seasons with the Jaguars and falls more in line with the investments that Poles has made over the first 17 months of his tenure.

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