Yannick Ngakoue wants to be a free agent, but the Jacksonville Jaguars have other plans for the 25-year rusher pass like the franchise plans to use the franchise label on him hoping to sign it long term. This is where things could get tricky. Ngakoue revealed on Twitter he has no interest in signing a long-term agreement in Jacksonville and “looks forward to continuing his career elsewhere”. Even if Jacksonville places the label on Ngakoue, he doesn’t want to be there for the 2020 season and beyond, which makes him arguably the most coveted pass defender on the commercial market.
The purchase price of Ngakoue will be high based on his incredible production at the start of his career. Ngakoue has 37.5 sacks, 85 quarter hits and 14 forced fumbles in his first four seasons. Since entering the NFL in 2016, Ngakoue has the fourth forced fumble in the league and the eighth highest quarterback hit. He is also just one of seven players who have more than eight sacks in each of the past four seasons. Not bad for overall choice # 69 in the 2016 NFL Draft.
Ngakoue is an elite pass hunter and teams would be foolish to ignore this. There are certain players who are pure difference makers on defense and Ngakoue is one of them.
Ngakoue’s best landings
The Ngakoue market will heat up now that the hunter has made himself available, but if Jacksonville decides to use the franchise tag on him, it will likely cost another team at least one draft pick. There are many teams that could use an elite pass hunter like Ngakoue – the New York Giants come to mind first. New York has expressed interest to Jadeveon Clowney, according to a report, and the Giants are clearly looking for a rusher pass to anchor Patrick Graham’s defense (they tied 22nd in the NFL in sacks) … and would have been interested in Ngakoue if it hit the free agent market. Would the Giants decide to pay the Jaguars a king’s ransom for Ngakoue?
The Buffalo Bills are another team that could kick the tires on Ngakoue, especially since the Bills have nine draft picks in the 2020 draft (only one in the first four rounds) and eight in the 2021 draft (same scenario than 2020). Buffalo has an estimated salary cap of $ 94.08 million (taking into account the $ 11.8 million capital increase plus the Over The Cap projection), which gives them plenty of room to give to Ngakoue the high salary he covets.
The Miami Dolphins have the most selection capital if they want to race in Ngakoue (and the opportunity to keep it in Florida). Miami has three first-round picks and two second-round picks in the 2020 plan. The Dolphins also have two first-round picks and two second-round picks in 2021, which gives them plenty of ammo to race Ngakoue if they wish. If Miami doesn’t want to trade in the 2020 draft for a quarterback, maybe the Dolphins are racing Ngakoue.
There are other teams who may show interest in Ngakoue, particularly the Philadelphia Eagles, as Ngakoue fits the philosophy of the franchise to sign players before their second contract. If the price drops for Ngakoue, Philadelphia could become a favorite for its services. The Eagles have a choice in each of the first four rounds in 2020 and a choice in each of the first three rounds in 2021. Jacksonville may want to move Ngakoue to the NFC and out of the conference, which would help the Eagles.
If the Giants and the Eagles, or any combination of teams, decide to race at Ngakoue, the Jaguars will benefit as this will generate more commercial interest.
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Projected market value for Ngakoue in free agency
Slapping the franchise label on Ngakoue would earn him an expected salary of $ 19.316 million for 2020 (by Over The Cap), making him the third highest paid defender in terms of average annual salary (by Spotrac). Ngakoue is said to have been looking for a deal that would bring him up to $ 22 million a year with the Jaguars last August, which would make him the highest paid defensive end in the NFL (higher than the average of $ 21 million). from DeMarcus Lawrence).
A new contract may be determined later. How much will a team have to give the Jaguars to acquire Ngakoue? Based on the market for last rush season pass rushers, the Jaguars could cash compensation plans. The Kansas City Chiefs traded a 2019 first and third round pick to the Seattle Seahawks for defensive end Frank Clark (and a third round pick of 2019), which also included a second round pick in 2020. The San Francisco 49ers traded a second-round pick for defensive end Dee Ford. Ford and Clark both signed huge deals with their new teams after their respective exchanges: Ford five years, $ 87.5 million and Clark five years, $ 105.5 million ($ 63.5 million guaranteed). Ngakoue should compete with what Clark received from Kansas City.
The price Kansas City chefs paid for Clark is a good barometer for the Jaguars when they buy Ngakoue, especially since the two defensive ends are the same age and Clark has had the franchise label on it. him when he was treated. Clark had 35 sacks in his first four seasons when he was traded from Seattle. Jacksonville is expected to start all commercial offerings with a top pick in 2020 and work from there. For a team to land in Ngakoue, it will likely have to part with a first-round pick in 2020 and a future second-round pick. Maybe even a future third round pick.
Where teams have power over the Jaguars, Ngakoue does not want to play in Jacksonville. What the Jaguars can’t do is wait a few days before the season, like the Houston Texans did with Clowney last year. The Seahawks traded a third-round pick in 2020, DE / OLB Barkevious Mingo and LB Jacob Martin to the Texans for Clowney – not exactly the premium price that Houston envisioned when it placed Clowney in the trading block.
Jacksonville shouldn’t be worried about Ngakoue’s low price, but the Jaguars can’t sit around and wait … otherwise the market will evaporate.
Concerns that could affect the price you pay for Ngakoue in a business
There is not much to hate about Ngakoue, one of the game’s best assisters. Ngakoue has eight bags, 15 quarter hits and four fumbles in 15 games last season, finishing with 37 pressures. While Ngakoue’s 2019 season is considered to be a “year in decline” compared to 2018 (72 presses, 9.5 bags), he still has a knack for getting to the quarterback and that’s the name of the game on defense in 2020.
Ngakoue may be undersized as a rusher (6-2, 246 pounds) and needs the right system to thrive, but there is no denying his ability to reach the quarterback and change the game (he has 14 forced escapees in 63 career games). Ngakoue is not up to tackle, having a missed tackle percentage over 19% in the last two seasons, but the teams pay for the sack artist when he trades for him. He’s also improving against racing, a major weakness in Ngakoue’s game when he entered the league as a third-round pick in 2016, but there is still work to be done to that end.
Scouting report on Ngakoue (advantages and disadvantages)
Benefits
- Bag artist
- Powerful hitter on impact on the quarterback
- Defense difference maker
- In the blink of an eye
- Excellent closing speed
- Left tackle wear throughout the game
The inconvenients
- Subpar tackler
- Execute defense
- Too small
- Needs the right system to thrive (one that takes advantage of speed on the edge)
Ngakoue says goodbye to Jacksonville, but Jaguars plan to franchise
March 2: According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Jaguars plan to use their franchise label on Ngakoue. They hope it plays for them in 2020, but are also ready to trade it “if that’s what they decide or are forced to do”.
Ngakoue clarified that he did not intend to sign a long-term contract on Monday morning. He issued the following Twitter statement:
“The Jaguars are aware that I no longer have an interest in signing a long-term contract in Jacksonville. Duval, I love you and I have given you everything I have. I am grateful for the trip and I look forward to continuing my career elsewhere. “
