Week 6 of the 2025 NFL season is here, and Chicago Bears fans are wondering when some of the franchise's former players will finally find playing opportunities. Several Bears have struggled to find a place called home this season, with one of the more notable names of the bunch being offensive lineman Yannick Ngakoue.
A former 2016 third-rounder by the Jacksonville Jaguars, Ngakoue has spent time with seven different franchises throughout his career, including when he played with Chicago in 2023. Although the 30-year-old defender hasn't been able to put pen to paper yet, he just hinted on social media that he isn't giving up hope on playing some football this fall.
"Ready to rush," Ngakoue posted to X on Tuesday afternoon, seemingly his way of letting other teams know that he's ready and willing to contribute.
Former Bears DL Yannick Ngakoue Hints That He's Ready to Play in 2025
Ngakoue hasn't been with a team since the New England Patriots released him last December. Even though he hasn't played a game this season, he's still only 30 years old and could still have some juice left in the tank.
Ngakoue split the 2024 season between the Patriots and Baltimore Ravens, and even though it wasn't his best campaign, it was far from an ugly performance. The ex-Maryland Terrapin tallied 14 total tackles and 1.5 sacks in 11 games without a start. His 52.1 overall grade on Pro Football Focus was his best effort since 2020, while his 70.2 grade as a run stopper hints that he can help in other ways even if he isn't an elite pass rusher anymore.
Even though some Bears fans might be open to a reunion, there's a decent chance that it won't happen. General manager Ryan Poles let Ngakoue walk as a free agent following the 2023 campaign when he had a chance to retain him. While one can never say never, it's hard to imagine a reunion after Poles was against running things back less than two years ago.
Injuries are piling up around the NFL with each passing week, leaving time to tell if any team will be desperate enough to call Ngakoue's agent. Taking a flier on him would be risky, given that he hasn't played a game in nearly a year, but it could be a risk worth taking if he finds a way to be a reliable defensive contributor again.
Regardless of where Ngakoue's journey will take him, Bears fans will be paying close attention.