Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi intends to sign a three-year, $40.5 million contract that includes $26.35 million guaranteed with the Chicago Bears, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Monday.
Ogunjobi was part of the overhaul that helped the Bengals go from the lowest sack total in the NFL in 2020 to 11th in 2021. He registered a career-high seven sacks, tied for the third most of any interior defensive lineman, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.
The Bengals coveted their former AFC North rival last offseason, as the former Cleveland Browns player signed a one-year deal with Cincinnati and quickly became one of the team's best pass-rushers.
His sack total last season was nearly half of his combined total over four seasons with the Browns (14.5).
Chicago didn't have the right fit on the roster to play three-technique in Matt Eberflus' 4-3 scheme, so the Bears signed Ogunjobi to fill that role. Ogunjobi helped the Bengals' run defense improve from 29th to fifth in yards allowed per game and from 31st to 13th in yards per attempt last season.
Eberflus said at the scouting combine that a three-technique in his defense needs to be "disruptive," a quality long associated with the 6-foot-3, 305-pound Ogunjobi, who notched 40 total pressures and 25 hurries last season, according to Pro Football Focus.
Ogunjobi, who turns 28 on June 3, missed most of Cincinnati's run to Super Bowl LVI after he suffered a season-ending foot injury in the wild-card victory against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Overall, the 2017 third-round draft pick has 21.5 career sacks with 229 tackles and two forced fumbles.
ESPN's Ben Baby and Courtney Cronin contributed to this report.
