The New York Jets-Yannick Ngakoue rumors can now officially end after the Jacksonville Jaguars shipped him to the Minnesota Vikings.
The Yannick Ngakoue rumor mill is now officially closed.
On Sunday, the Jacksonville Jaguars traded the disgruntled defensive end to the Minnesota Vikings for a 2021 second-round pick and a conditional 2022 fifth-round selection, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Jaguars agreed to trade franchise DE Yannick Ngakoue to Minnesota for a second- and conditional fifth-round pick that could go as high a third-round pick, league sources tell ESPN. Ngakoue still has to sign his tender, but trade is in place and Ngakoue is expected to be a Viking.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 30, 2020
Conditions on fifth-round pick that Minnesota is trading to Jacksonville for DE Yannick Ngakoue, sources tells ESPN:
🏈It becomes a fourth-round pick if Ngakoue goes to the Pro Bowl this season.
🏈It becomes a third if Ngakoue goes to Pro Bowl AND Vikings win the Super Bowl. https://t.co/YBTRlGxrMn
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 30, 2020
The conditional fifth-rounder becomes a fourth-round pick if Ngakoue makes the 2020 Pro Bowl team, and it becomes a third if he’s named a Pro Bowler and Minnesota wins the Super Bowl.
Ngakoue, 25, has long been connected to the pass rushing-needy New York Jets since news of his unhappiness hit the public early in the offseason.
Unquestionably outplaying his four-year rookie deal, the third-round product out of Maryland sought a long-term deal following the 2019 season. The Jags organization had something else in mind—a franchise tender.
The move did not sit well with Ngakoue, who publicly made it known on Twitter while simultaneously calling out owner Tony Khan.
https://twitter.com/YannickNgakoue/status/1252284901937811457
https://twitter.com/YannickNgakoue/status/1252286570977210373
Show me the compensation. I’m sure you’re really driving up the price today btw.
— Tony Khan (@TonyKhan) April 20, 2020
Despite plenty of noise, the overall feeling always remained firm: the Jets were never incredibly interested.
Ngakoue made the AFC Pro Bowl team in 2017 after collecting 12 sacks, forcing six fumbles and making 30 combined tackles (10 for loss). The 6-foot-2, 246-pound edge has gathered 37.5 sacks over his first four years in the NFL (63 games, 62 games started).
While he’d immediately fit a huge need, Joe Douglas‘ interest never reached a level that warranted giving up compensation and re-signing the man to the long-term deal he’s currently seeking.
Jordan Jenkins remains the New York Jets’ top edge rusher with a plethora of individuals battling it out on the other side.
