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Larry Ogunjobi was, at one time earlier this year, the top free agent signing for the Chicago Bears.
The Bears and new general manager Ryan Poles inked the former Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns defensive tackle to a three-year, $40.5 million deal on March 14, the day free agency kicked off. Then, the failed physical happened.
“Larry Ogunjobi embodies everything we are looking for in a Bear. He is a special person and player,” Poles said in a statement released by the team on March 18. “We agreed to terms with him, subject to him passing a physical here,” the statement continued.
“After a standard and thorough physical and medical review with Larry yesterday afternoon, our medical team deemed him to have failed his physical and therefore, unfortunately, we are not signing him today. This is difficult and it is emotional for everyone involved, but ultimately is what is in the best interest of protecting the Chicago Bears.”
While Poles said on the Mully & Haugh Show on May 6 that he wasn’t “going to rule anything out,” when it came to re-signing Ogunjobi, the veteran defensive tackle has found a new home — and one analyst thinks the Bears missed a big opportunity by not looking his way again.
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Ogunjobi Signs With Steelers, Passed His Physical
After working out for the New York Jets, Ogunjobi has landed with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
As first reported by NFL insider Ian Rapoport, Ogunjobi signed a one-year deal worth up to $8 million with incentives. “After an unfortunate free agency situation with the #Bears, Ogunjobi’s foot has improved and he now has another chance to cash in next free agency,” Rapoport tweeted.
Ogunjobi is expected to be ready to go by training camp, according to Gary Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and has already passed his physical — which brings up questions about why Poles didn’t try to re-sign the 28-year-old DT on a cheaper deal later. Josh Schrock of NBC Sports thinks Chicago missed a chance to improve its defense by not doing so.
Steelers expecting DT Larry Ogunjobi to be ready for training camp after having Lisfranc surgery. Hey, they wouldn’t have signed him if he couldn’t pass their physical.
Schrock: ‘Bears Missed an Opportunity’
Schrock credited Pittsburgh with filling a significant need with the Ogunjobi signing.
“That the Steelers, a well-respected franchise that rarely misses on free agents, were willing and eager to add Ogunjobi to fill the spot vacated by Stephon Tuitt shows the Bears missed an opportunity,” Schrock wrote on June 22.
Like the Steelers, the Bears also lost their starting defensive tackle, Akiem Hicks, who signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency. Schrock thinks that Chicago should have given Ogunjobi a second chance.
“Winning organizations stay on top by finding ways to take advantage of market value,” Schrock added. “They add winning players whenever available and figure out the rest later. The Steelers have seen first-hand what Ogunjobi can do and saw no reason not to take a low-risk gamble on a guy with an incredibly high ceiling.”
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When Healthy, Ogunjobi Is a Beast
Over his five years in the league, Ogunjobi has amassed 229 total tackles (41 for loss), 53 QB hits, 21.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles in 76 games and 63 starts (stats per Pro Football Reference). His best season was last year with the Bengals. In 16 starts, he racked up 49 tackles and a career-high seven sacks.
He suffered a season-ending foot injury in Cincinnati’s Wild Card win over the Las Vegas Raiders and had been rehabbing it this offseason. It didn’t look good enough for Chicago’s medical staff back in March. A few months later, he looks good enough for Pittsburgh.
If Ogunjobi looks anything like he did a season or two ago, the Bears may have indeed missed out on an opportunity to shore up a defensive line that lost Hicks, Eddie Goldman and Bilal Nichols.
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Recent Major Free Agent Signing Shows Bears ‘Missed’ Big Opportunity