What is Yannick Ngakoue worth in a trade?
By John Buhler
Yannick Ngakoue is done with the Jacksonville Jaguars, but they reportedly want to franchise tag him. What is Ngakoue worth on the open market anyway?
Things are getting more awkward than a two-toned football helmet down in Duval County between defensive end Yannick Ngakoue and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The four-year pro out of the University of Maryland tweeted out on Monday morning he has no intentions of signing a long-term deal with Jacksonville. He said the Jaguars organization is aware of this, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Jacksonville plans to use the franchise tag on him for 2020, possibly look to deal Ngakoue to a new team this offseason.
Either way, this is not a good look for the Jaguars, who are poised to lose one of the most productive pass-rushers in the league over the last four years.
Schefter added Ngakoue amassed 37.5 sacks in four years with the Jaguars, as well as 14 forced fumbles, which ranks fourth in the NFL over that span, trailing only Khalil Mack, Chandler Jones and T.J. Watt.
The Jaguars are aware I no longer have interest in signing a long term contract in Jacksonville. Duval, I love you and gave you guys everything I got. I’m thankful for the journey and look forward to continuing my career elsewhere. -91
— Yannick Ngakoue (@YannickNgakoue) March 2, 2020
Jacksonville Jaguars will use their franchise tag on pass-rusher Yannick Ngakoue, per league sources. The tag will allow them to try to trade him if that’s what they decide or are forced to do.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 2, 2020
Jags will use franchise tag on Yannick Ngakoue; tag for DEs carries an approximate salary of $19.3 million. In four seasons, Ngakoue has 37.5 sacks and has forced 14 fumbles, which is fourth in NFL over that span behind Khalil Mack (17), Chandler Jones (17) and T.J. Watt (15).
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 2, 2020
So what is Ngakoue’s trade value on the open market? What can Jacksonville get for their Pro Bowl pass-rusher? We should expect a 2020 first-round pick and possibly a day-two pick from this spring’s draft thrown in there as well.
If we need benchmarks for what kind of contract Ngakoue will command from a new team, let’s look at what happened to DeMarcus Lawrence and Frank Clark around this time last year.
Lawrence was slapped with the franchise tag by the Dallas Cowboys in March ’19. A month later, he signed a five-year, $105 million to remain with America’s Team.
As for Clark, he too was hit with the franchise tag in March by the Seattle Seahawks. Unlike the Cowboys, Seattle opted to trade the defensive end to the Kansas City Chiefs, along with a swap of third-round picks, for Kansas City’s first-round pick last spring, as well as a second-round pick this year. Clark signed a five-year, $104 million deal with the Chiefs last offseason.
In short, the Jaguars shouldn’t be willing to give up Ngakoue for anything less than a 2020 first-round pick and a day-two selection in one of the next two drafts.
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Ultimately, Jacksonville is in an awkward spot because all 31 teams know the Jaguars have to deal Ngakoue. They don’t have the leverage of what Dallas or Seattle had last year in similar situations. Overall, Ngakoue yielded incredible production and played hard for the Jaguars the last four years. He’ll be a huge get for whoever trades for him, but Jacksonville can still command a big haul.