The Jacksonville Jaguars have traded several key members of their defense in recent months, and Yannick Ngakoue could be the next to go.
The Jaguars placed the franchise tag on Ngakoue, but the defensive end has been openly seeking a new contract dating back to last offseason. Ngakoue wants to be traded if Jacksonville is not willing to sign him to a long-term deal, and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports that the 25-year-old has drawn interest from multiple teams.
The #Jaguars have heard from multiple interested teams about a possible trade for DE Yannick Ngakoue, who turns 25 today. The Jags value him and won’t give him away for little return but it’ll be interesting to see how this plays out as we draw closer to the draft.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 31, 2020
Jacksonville has had one of the best defensive lines in football over the past three seasons, and Ngakoue’s presence has been a big reason for that. The former third-round pick recorded eight sacks last season and has 37.5 through his first four years in the NFL. However, the Jags appear to be intent on rebuilding their defense with cheaper options, as they have already traded away defensive tackle Calais Campbell and top cornerbacks Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye.
Ngakoue held out for a new contract last summer, and he has made it clear that he has no interest in remaining in Jacksonville. A player publicly demanding a trade is never good news for a team from a leverage standpoint, but the Jaguars should be able to get something of value in return for their star pass-rusher.
