Packers Claim Former Bears DT Ego Ferguson

The Packers have reportedly claimed former Chicago Bears defensive tackle Ego Ferguson off of waivers. The 2014 second round pick had been waived Monday by Chicago.

Who is Ego Ferguson?

Considered a raw prospect coming out of LSU, Ferguson hasn’t quite developed the way the Bears likely hoped, in large part due to injuries.

After a promising enough rookie campaign, Ferguson missed all but four games in 2015 with a knee injury. He was also slapped with a four game suspension for violating the league’s policy on performance enhancing drugs.

In 2016, Ferguson was again poised to capitalize on his potential, but an injury in the preseason ended his campaign before it got rolling.

What does Ferguson bring to the Packers?

Green Bay is clearly girding its defensive line against the early season loss of Letroy Guion. At 6-3, 315 pounds, Ferguson fits the mold of a Guion-type player, at least from a physical perspective.

However, multiple scouts indicated prior to the 2014 draft that Ferguson did not appear to be a good fit for the 3-4 defense, especially as a nose tackle. Nearly every lineman in the Packers’ scheme gets rotated to the nose sooner or later, and if Ferguson can’t play there, it limits his value to the Packers.

This should probably be considered little more than taking a flier on a player with decent physical gifts in hopes that he could turn into something. But given his history so far, there’s little reason to assume that he will.