JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Jaguars are reportedly trading pass-rusher Yannick Ngakoue to the Minnesota Vikings.
According to NFL reporter Tom Pelissero, the Jaguars will get a second-round draft pick in 2021 and a conditional fifth-round pick in 2022.
BREAKING: Jaguars trading DE Yannick Ngakoue to Vikings for 2021 second-round pick, 2022 conditional fifth-round pick. (via @TomPelissero) pic.twitter.com/OVLXKXYAmr
— NFL (@NFL) August 30, 2020
According to ESPN, which first reported the trade, the fifth-round pick could go as high as a third-round pick. If Ngakoue goes to the Pro Bowl this season, it would become a fourth-round pick. If the Vikings win the Super Bowl, it would become a third-round pick.
A person familiar with the trade spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Sunday because the deal has not been formally executed with the league. The person said Ngakoue agreed to rework his 2020 salary to get out of Jacksonville. Ngakoue still has to sign his one-year franchise tender with the Jaguars to make the deal happen. He had been the league’s only franchise-tagged player unsigned, opting to turn down an offer that would have guaranteed him $17.8 million this season.
Ngakoue made it clear on several occasions this year that he no longer wanted to play in Jacksonville, even sparring with the owner’s son on Twitter.
The 24-year-old Ngakoue didn’t believe the front office showed him enough respect considering what he did since joining the organization as a third-round draft pick in 2016.
He is the second starter in the past year — arguably the team’s best two defenders — to essentially force his way out of Jacksonville. Pro Bowl cornerback Jalen Ramsey seemingly faked a back injury to get traded to the Los Angeles Rams last October.
Ngakoue has 37 1/2 sacks and 14 forced fumbles in four seasons. The speedy strip-sack specialist made the Pro Bowl in 2017 and was an alternate the past two seasons. He clearly outplayed his $3.84 million rookie contract. He made $2.025 million in 2019 — far less than other top playmakers at his position.
Ngakoue insisted the day after the season ended that he’s “not going to play for pennies.” He had been seeking around $22 million a year to remain in Jacksonville, but the Jaguars never considered him a complete or elite defensive end worthy of that much annually.
Jacksonville selected Ngakoue’s replacement, Josh Allen from Kentucky, with the seventh overall pick in the 2019 draft and added pass-rusher K’Lavon Chaisson this year. Allen had 44 tackles, 10 1/2 sacks and two forced fumbles as a rookie and made the Pro Bowl as an alternate.