Jaguars Receive Multiple Trade Offers For Yannick Ngakoue
The Jaguars have received multiple offers for Yannick Ngakoue, including one package that included a Pro Bowler, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter). However, none of those offers have been to the Jaguars’ liking. Meanwhile, Pelissero hears that the unknown Pro Bowler wasn’t a fit for the Jaguars’ system. 
[RELATED: Ngakoue Willing To Play On Tag, If Traded]
Ngakoue’s camp is willing to table extension talks for any team that’s able to pull off a trade. Right now, a trade doesn’t seem likely. The Jaguars have been in a game of chicken with the 25-year-old edge rusher for months, and they have yet to blink.
As of this writing, Ngakoue is set to play out the 2020 season for a salary of $17.788MM. When the 4pm ET/3pm CT deadline passes, both sides will be formally barred from hammering out an extension until next year. In Ngakoue’s case, that’s strictly a formality – he has zero interest in staying in Jacksonville.
However, the two parties aren’t necessarily stuck with each other through the end of the season. As Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) points out, the Texans waited until August 31 of last year before shipping Jadeveon Clowney to the Texans. At last check, the Jaguars were seeking a first-round pick – plus more – for Ngakoue. But, over time, their asking price could come back down to earth. A 2021 third-round pick, for example, would be a slight upgrade over the 2022 third-round choice they’d get next year, via the compensatory pick formula.
Yannick Ngakoue Willing To Play On Tag, If Traded
Desperate times call for desperate measures. If another team is able to work out a trade with the Jaguars, Yannick Ngakoue is willing to drop his demand for a long-term extension, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears.
[RELATED: Yannick Ngakoue Drawing Trade Interest]
Ngakoue’s push for a lucrative multi-year deal was long believed to be a barrier for a trade. Ngakoue’s willingness to play out 2020 on his one-year, $17.788MM tender may help matters, but the Jaguars are still resistant to actually move him. At last check, the Jaguars were asking for a first-round pick, and then some. It was hard to imagine another team coughing up that kind of draft capital and giving Ngakoue a monster deal. Still, giving up a first-round pick for what could be a one-year rental is also a tough sell.
With at least eight sacks in each of his four NFL seasons – including 12.5 sacks in 2017 – the former third-round pick has outperformed expectations by every measure. Still, the advanced metrics indicate that his sack numbers might be a fluke. Meanwhile, there are still plenty of proven veteran edge rushers available on the open market, all of whom would cost less than Ngakoue in 2020. Of course, Jadeveon Clowney is seeking a deal in the range of Ngakoue’s $17.78MM, but it’s likely that he’ll wind up settling for a little less.
The Eagles, Seahawks, and Browns would make varying degrees of sense for Ngakoue, but none of those teams are as desperate to land the defensive end as he is to get out of Jacksonville.
Poll: How Many Tagged Players Will Land Extensions?
A day away from the deadline for franchise-tagged players to sign extensions, the NFL finally saw a player from this year’s group do so. The Chiefs’ Chris Jones extension represents the outlier move thus far. Discounting Jones’ deal, how many more tagged players will sign by the 3pm CT deadline Wednesday?
The 14 remaining tagged players reside in limbo for various reasons — from uncertainties about their career trajectories to the pandemic clouding the NFL’s financial future. There could be plenty of players going through the 2020 season on guaranteed one-year deals, which would both table key negotiations for several months and add to the 2021 free agent market.
Here is how everything looks with the tagged group as of Tuesday afternoon:
Already Signed Tag
- LB Shaquil Barrett, Buccaneers: Sides are not believed to be close on terms (7/10)
- RB Kenyan Drake*, Cardinals: Engaged in talks with organization (4/15)
- LB Bud Dupree, Steelers: Sides are not close on terms; Dupree filed grievance (7/10)
- S Anthony Harris, Vikings: No reports, will let agent and Vikings do the work (5/17)
- RB Derrick Henry, Titans: Expected to play season on tag (7/14)
- TE Hunter Henry, Chargers: Sides “were close” to extension (4/29); now not so much (7/11)
- LB Matt Judon, Ravens: Content playing on franchise tag (6/16)
- QB Dak Prescott, Cowboys: After disagreement on deal length, no talks scheduled (7/13)
- OG Brandon Scherff, Washington: No longer expected to sign extension (7/14)
- S Justin Simmons, Broncos: Talks unlikely to produce extension (7/14)
- OG Joe Thuney, Patriots: Engaged in talks with organization (3/17)
- DT Leonard Williams, Giants: Will play 2020 season on franchise tag (7/13)
*Received transition tag (vs. franchise tag)
Hasn’t Signed Tag, Won’t Hold Out
- WR A.J. Green, Bengals: Not much optimism exists for extension (7/12)
Hasn’t Signed Tag, Threatening Holdout
More players were tagged this year than in 2018 and ’19 combined. This represents the largest contingent of tagged performers since 2012, when 19 were tagged. That also came in an era when of salary cap stagnancy. After steady cap growth since 2014, the league’s best hope may be for the 2021 cap to plateau. The coronavirus has threatened to keep fans out of stadiums, with limited capacity being the likely best-case scenario. That will cost the league upwards of $3 billion, and the NFL-NFLPA talks about how to manage this have transpired for several weeks without a resolution.
But deadlines, per the cliche, incite action. Will this year be the exception? Are teams willing to carry big tag salaries on their books? Or will they prefer that to signing off on long-term extensions before the cap reality clears up? Vote in PFR’s latest poll (link for app users) and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section.
Of the 14 players still attached to tags, how many will sign extensions?
-
1-2 45% (238)
-
3-5 36% (194)
-
4-7 13% (71)
-
More than 8 6% (31)
Total votes: 534
Jaguars’ Yannick Ngakoue Drawing Trade Interest
Jaguars defensive end Yannick Ngakoue is still drawing trade interest around the league as the deadline draws near, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. There are also still many roadblocks to a potential deal, including the Jaguars’ lack of interest in actually parting ways with the young edge rusher. 
The Jags and Ngakoue are effectively playing a game of chicken at this point. Ngakoue wants out, and he’s reportedly prepared to sit out the entire 2020 season if he doesn’t get the trade he wants. Plenty of teams would like to add Ngakoue, but they’d have to cough up significant compensation and give him a payday to match, or at least approach, his free market value. That likely means a deal in excess of $100MM, with a large chunk paid up front, plus guarantees. That’s an especially tough sell in the current climate.
Teams may also be skittish about Ngakoue’s ability to reproduce his previous sack totals. The former third-round pick has posted at least eight sacks in four of his five pro seasons, but he finished just 25th in pressures last year (51), per Pro Football Focus. Other metrics like ESPN’s pass rush win rate and double-team rate also portrayed him as less-than-elite.
The Raiders gave the Jaguars a ring during the draft, but the talks didn’t get too far. The Eagles were eyeing Ngakoue earlier this year, but even before the pandemic, they were facing a 2021 cap crunch.
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 7/11/20
We’ll keep track of today’s mid- to late-round draft pick signings here:
- The Jaguars have signed fourth-round offensive tackle Ben Bartch. The six-foot-six, 305-pound rookie spent four seasons at Division III St. John’s University in Minnesota, including his first two as a tight end. He transitioned to offensive tackle before his junior season, and he earned first-team All-MIAC nod during his senior year. When Jacksonville used pick No. 116 on Bartch, he became the first Division III player to be drafted in five years, and he was the first St. John’s player to be drafted since 1974. Also, as if you didn’t like him already, Bartch previously relied on a, uh, unique smoothie of eggs, cottage cheese, grits, peanut butter, banana, and Gatorade to put on weight as an offensive lineman, thus leading to the nickname “Smoothie King.”
- The Packers have signed center Jake Hanson to his rookie deal. The Oregon product was selected with pick No. 208, one of three offensive lineman selected by Green Bay in the sixth round (along with John Runyan Jr. (No. 192) and Simon Stepaniak (No. 209)). Hanson didn’t allow a sack through his first three seasons with the Ducks, and he ultimately started 49 games during his four-year career. The lineman earned a pair of AP second team all-Pac-12 selections during his time at Oregon. Third-round tight end Josiah Deguara is now the Packers’ only unsigned rookie.
Jaguars Sign Laviska Shenault
The Jaguars have agreed to terms with second-round wide receiver Laviska Shenault, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Shenault’s explosive abilities were often on display during his three seasons at Colorado, and Joe Marino of The Draft Network points to Shenault’s run-after-the-catch talent as his most promising trait. Sub-par quarterback play at Colorado meant that Shenault didn’t always post eye-catching numbers, but he did top the 1,000-yard mark in 2018 (before falling back to just 764 yards a season ago).
In Jacksonville, D.J. Chark and Dede Westbrook are virtually assured of commanding two of the Jaguars’ starting receiver roles in three-wide sets. Shenault, then, will likely compete with the likes of Chris Conley and Keelan Cole to become Jacksonville’s third pass-catcher.
As the 42nd overall pick, Shenault’s four-year contract will be worth something in the neighborhood of $7.696MM, according to Over the Cap. He should receive a signing bonus of $3.157MM and have a 2020 cap charge of $1.399MM.
Jacksonville now has five members of its 12-man draft class under contract. Here’s the full list:
1-9: C.J. Henderson, CB (Florida)
1-20: K’Lavon Chaisson, DE (LSU)
2-42: Laviska Shenault, WR (Colorado): Signed
3-73: Davon Hamilton, DT (Ohio State): Signed
4-116: Ben Bartch, OT (St. John’s (MN))
4-137: Josiah Scott, CB (Michigan State)
4-140: Shaquille Quarterman, ILB (Miami): Signed
5-157: Daniel Thomas, S (Auburn)
5-165: Collin Johnson, WR (Texas): Signed
6-189: Jake Luton, QB (Oregon State)
6-206: Tyler Davis, TE (Georgia Tech): Signed
7-223: Chris Claybrooks, CB (Memphis)
Status Of All 15 Tagged Players Prior to July 15 Extension Deadline
The clock is ticking for tagged players to sign extensions with their teams, per the league calendar.
July 15: At 4:00 p.m., New York time, deadline for any club that designated a Franchise Player to sign such player to a multiyear contract or extension. After this date, the player may sign only a one-year contract with his prior club for the 2020 season, and such contract cannot be extended until after the club’s last regular season game.
With less than nine days remaining until the deadline, let’s take a look at where each of the 15 tagged players stand.
Already Signed Tag
- RB Kenyan Drake*, Cardinals: Engaged in talks with organization (4/15)
- LB Bud Dupree, Steelers: May not receive long-term deal (6/17)
- S Anthony Harris, Vikings: No reports, will let agent and Vikings do the work (5/17)
- RB Derrick Henry, Titans: Engaged in talks with organization (6/11)
- TE Hunter Henry, Chargers: Sides “were close” to an extension (4/29)
- LB Matt Judon, Ravens: Content playing on franchise tag (6/16)
- QB Dak Prescott, Cowboys: Wants four years, Cowboys want five years (6/22)
- OG Brandon Scherff, Redskins: Confident he’ll receive extension (4/11)
- OG Joe Thuney, Patriots: Engaged in talks with organization (3/17)
- DT Leonard Williams, Giants: To file grievance over position, hoping for extension (4/23)
*Received transition tag (vs. franchise tag)
Haven’t Signed Tag, Won’t Hold Out
- LB Shaquil Barrett, Buccaneers: Will sign tag if extension isn’t signed (6/29)
- WR A.J. Green, Bengals: Will sign tag if extension isn’t signed (6/21)
- S Justin Simmons, Broncos: Engaged in talks with organization (4/20)
Haven’t Signed Tag, Threatening Hold Out
- DT Chris Jones, Chiefs: Threatening holdout (7/1)
- DE Yannick Ngakoue, Jaguars: Wants trade, prepared to sit out 2020 season (7/2)
Yannick Ngakoue Prepared To Sit Out 2020 Season?
As you probably know by now, Jaguars defensive end Yannick Ngakoue wants out of Jacksonville. He is not inclined to sign his $17.788MM franchise tender, and while he wants a new contract with an average annual value in excess of $20MM, he does not want to sign such a contract with the Jags.
We heard yesterday that the 25-year-old is still pushing for a trade, but given the amount of draft capital Jacksonville has asked for in the past — in addition to the fact that an acquiring team would have to pony up a $100MM+ payday, a tough sell in this COVID-19 climate — a trade does not seem especially likely at this point. However, a burying of the hatchet between player and team seems equally unlikely, and Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network is hearing that Ngakoue could sit out the entire 2020 season (video link).
A key point here is that Ngakoue just finished his rookie contract and has yet to sign a second professional deal. Although the new CBA is harsher than its predecessor with respect to holdouts, those stricter provisions only apply to players who hold out after having signed a contract as a veteran. So while a full-year absence would toll Ngakoue’s service time, it seems he can hold out through training camp and a chunk of the regular season without worrying about mandatory fines and losing an accrued season.
A young pass rusher like Ngakoue is a hot commodity in today’s NFL, but as it stands right now, if he wants to play this season and earn a paycheck, he will have to do so with the Jags. Of course, an injury and/or more clarity with respect to the 2021 salary cap could make a rival club more inclined to discuss a trade, and it sounds like Ngakoue is willing to wait.
Jaguars’ Yannick Ngakoue Still Wants Trade
They say that time heals all wounds. Unfortunately for the Jaguars, that doesn’t apply to their ongoing saga with Yannick Ngakoue. With two weeks to go before the franchise tag extension deadline, Ngakoue’s stance remains unchanged (Twitter link via Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com). The defensive end still wants a trade and still doesn’t want to sign the one-year tag.
[RELATED: Five Franchise Tagged Players Have Yet To Sign Tenders]
The Jaguars claim that they’ve tried to mend fences with the 25-year-old. GM Dave Caldwell has also claimed that they haven’t received any offers for Ngakoue. Translated, that probably means that they haven’t been offered enough to part with the young edge rusher.
Ngakoue has registered at least eight sacks in each of his four pro seasons, including a career-high 12.5 sacks in 2017. Plenty of teams would surely like to add Ngakoue, but they’ll only part with so much in the way of draft capital, because acquiring Ngakoue also means giving him a lucrative long-term deal in line with the market.
Ngakoue wants to join the $20MM+ defensive lineman club, but he doesn’t want his induction to come in Jacksonville. For now, he’s facing a one-year, $17.788MM tender that he also says he doesn’t want. If they can’t work things out by the deadline, Ngakoue figures to hold out through training camp at the very least. The threat of a holdout could extend into September as well, but that would be costly in the short-term and the long-term. A full-season holdout would delay Ngakoue’s potential free agency by another year and recreate the same problem in 2021.
The Eagles, Seahawks, and Browns have been keeping their eyes peeled for DEs, but no team wants to commit mega dollars to players with the possibility of major cap restrictions after this year. Besides, the Eagles’ 2021 cap situation is cramped as is, and the Seahawks are running low on available funds for the current year.
Jaguars Sign DaVon Hamilton
The Jaguars have signed rookie DaVon Hamilton, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The third-round defensive tackle is the fourth Jags draft pick to put pen to paper, leaving them with eight deals to go. Per the terms of his slot at No. 73 overall, Hamilton is set to earn $4.82MM across four years.
Hamilton put himself on the NFL map with a strong finish at Ohio State. In 2019, he went from part-timer to first-stringer and registered 28 stops, including six sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss. At 320 pounds, he’s already got the pro build and he possesses uncommon speed for a player at his size. The Jaguars are excited to see what he can do in the long run but, for now, he projects to play behind Abry Jones and Taven Bryan.
Here’s the full rundown of the Jags’ class, via PFR’s 2020 NFL Draft tracker:
1-9: C.J. Henderson, CB (Florida)
1-20: K’Lavon Chaisson, DE (LSU)
2-42: Laviska Shenault, WR (Colorado)
3-73: Davon Hamilton, DT (Ohio State): Signed
4-116: Ben Bartch, OT (St. John’s (MN))
4-137: Josiah Scott, CB (Michigan State)
4-140: Shaquille Quarterman, ILB (Miami): Signed
5-157: Daniel Thomas, S (Auburn)
5-165: Collin Johnson, WR (Texas): Signed
6-189: Jake Luton, QB (Oregon State)
6-206: Tyler Davis, TE (Georgia Tech): Signed
7-223: Chris Claybrooks, CB (Memphis)