3 Bears players who should be on the Jaguars radar before the 2023 trade deadline

No. 1 Bears player the Jaguars should trade for: Yannick Ngakoue, Edge

The Jaguars defense has held its own this season and they've done it without a consistent pass rush. It's true that outside linebacker Josh Allen is off to a hot start but Jacksonville doesn't have many options besides him. If he were to miss time, their ability to bring the heat would decrease considerably.

Allen has logged six sacks this season. Sophomore Travon Walker has two sacks and 2020 first-round pick K'Lavon Chaisson has one. That's it. You could rightfully point out that sacks aren't the only way to measure a pass rusher's success or lack thereof but the Jags could certainly use a boost in that area.

Dawuane Smoot is close to returning after spending the offseason recovering from an Achilles tear he suffered last year. Defensive end DaVon Hamilton should also return to the lineup soon. He suffered a non-football back injury in the preseason and has made progress in his recovery. That said, the Jaguars cannot have too many pass rushers, which is why they should go after Yannick Ngakoue.

The Jags and Ngakoue had mutual interest in potentially getting a deal done earlier this year. However, he remained unsigned for most of the offseason before inking a one-year deal worth $10 million in August.

Like most Bears players, Ngakoue has underperformed this season. So far, he's got two sacks and four quarterback hits but it's fair to wonder how he would fare in a better-rounded defense. Given the Jaguars' previous interest in his services, maybe they should consider getting in touch with Chicago and see if he's available. All things considered, a third-round pick would be a fair price to pay for what could turn out to be a one-year rental.

The bottom line is that the Jaguars pass rush has been decent but Yannick Ngakoue could take it to the next level.