Yannick Ngakoue

Panthers To Audition Yannick Ngakoue, Carl Lawson, Marquis Haynes, Kemoko Turay

July 25th, 2024 at 3:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

JULY 25: Kemoko Turay is joining Haynes at today’s workout, The Athletic’s Joe Person tweets. Failing to make the Falcons’ 53-man roster last year, Turay spent most of the season out of football. The former Colts second-rounder has not panned out, but he did total 5.5 sacks as a rotational cog in 2021. The Panthers now have Ngakoue and Lawson set to audition Friday.

JULY 24, 5:09pm: Marquis Haynes, a pass rusher who has been a Panther throughout his six-year career, will be part of Thursday’s workout group as well, Kaye adds. Added under Ron Rivera, Haynes has played for six HCs. Though, the Panthers have some continuity on defense, at least, with Ejiro Evero coming back for a second season as DC. After a five-sack 2022, Haynes missed much of last season due to a back injury.

10:09am: The Brian Burns trade led to a Panthers reboot on the edge. For now, the team is taking a veteran-heavy approach at the position. Jadeveon Clowney, D.J. Wonnum and K’Lavon Chaisson are in place as Carolina’s most notable outside linebackers. The team is still looking for similar help here.

After not drafting an edge player, the Panthers placed Wonnum on their active/PUP list to start training camp. With Chaisson underwhelming in Jacksonville, plenty could be on Clowney’s shoulders. The former No. 1 overall pick might have some help soon, as the Charlotte Observer’s Mike Kaye reports Yannick Ngakoue‘s workout tour will stop through Charlotte. The Panthers are also preparing to audition Carl Lawson this week. Ngakoue’s workout will take place Thursday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets.

Previously eyeing a deal before training camp, Ngakoue worked out for the Dolphins this week. Emmanuel Ogbah‘s familiarity won out, and the nomadic edge rusher remains in search of a deal. With Wonnum rehabbing a torn quad suffered in Week 16 — an injury that was expected to cost him camp time — and Chaisson producing a grand total of five sacks in four Jaguars seasons, the Panthers appear to remain in need of help. Clowney has reached notable peaks throughout his career, but the injury-prone pass rusher has been unable to sustain success since leaving Houston in 2019.

This would open the door for Ngakoue, who is still just 29 despite going into his ninth NFL season. The former third-round pick’s run of sack production stalled in Chicago last year, as his seven-year streak of eight-plus-sack seasons — a string no active NFLer matched from 2016-22 — halted after a four-sack slate last season. Ngakoue suffered a broken ankle last December, though he did start 13 Bears games prior to that injury. Ngakoue’s 10 sacks alongside Maxx Crosby in 2021 helped the Raiders to the playoffs, and he led the 2022 Colts with 9.5. Viewed as a liability against the run, Ngakoue has cycled through six teams over the course of his career — including five during the 2020s.

Lawson, 29, has not landed in offseason rumors the way Ngakoue has. The recent Jets contributor did visit the Dolphins in April, however, and has been productive in the not-so-distant past. He totaled seven sacks and 24 QB hits with the Jets in 2022, helping Robert Saleh‘s defense rebound after a woeful 2021. Lawson’s training camp injury contributed to New York’s last-place rankings that season, but he found himself out of the Jets’ D-line rotation last year after accepting an offseason pay cut. Lawson, whom the Jets tried to trade, did not record a sack in 2023.

It would make sense for the Panthers to add some help here. Their $6MM in cap space sits 29th in the league, and Ngakoue likely will not be available for the veteran minimum. Despite having agreed to a three-year, $45MM Jets deal in 2021, Lawson would stand to come cheaper.

Dolphins To Host DE Yannick Ngakoue

July 22nd, 2024 at 9:02am CST by Adam La Rose

Shaquil Barrett‘s retirement has left the Dolphins in search of help along the edge at the start of training camp. Miami will bring in Emmanuel Ogbah for a visit today, but he is not the only free agent who will receive a look.

Yannick Ngakoue will also visit the Dolphins today, as confirmed by agent Drew Rosenhaus (via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald). The 29-year-old remained on the free agent market well into the summer last year, though he still managed to secure a $10.5MM Bears deal. Ngakoue’s value took a hit considering how the 2023 campaign played out.

The former second-rounder was a full-time starter for 13 games in Chicago until a season-ending ankle injury shut him down. Ngakoue was limited to four sacks, making 2023 the first season in his career during which he failed to record at least eight. The journeyman (who is certainly not known for his run defense) hoped to find a new home before training camp, but this will be his first known free agent visit.

The Bears were not active along the edge during free agency, leading some to believe a reunion with Ngakoue could be in the cards. General manager Ryan Poles recently expressed confidence in Chicago’s incumbent defense ends, however, so any additions may need to wait until training camp is well underway. Ngakoue is one of many free agents who could step into at least a depth role if a Miami agreement were to be worked out.

The Dolphins have Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips atop the depth chart, but both are rehabbing the injuries which ended their respective 2023 seasons. Depth early in the season will be critical if one or both are unable to suit up for Week 1. Barrett was on track for a notable workload as a result before he elected to hang up his cleats. Now, Calais Campbell and any addition made in the coming days will join rookies Chop Robinson and Mohammed Kamara as Miami’s edge options for the summer.

Like Ogbah, Ngakoue will no doubt be forced to take a deal worth far less than his previous one when he signs with a new team. The Dolphins have just over $12MM in cap space, so a contract for either one should be feasible.

Yannick Ngakoue Receiving Interest; DE Aiming For Deal Before Training Camp

May 29th, 2024 at 4:10pm CST by Adam La Rose

At this point of the NFL offseason calendar, many veterans who are still unsigned will likely not have a deal in place until training camps open in July. In the case of Yannick Ngakoue, that could be different.

The journeyman edge rusher indicated during an interview on SiriusXM Radio that he has received interest this offseason (audio link). Ngakoue waited until August to sign last offseason, when he inked a one-year, $10.5MM Bears pact. Given the way his 2023 season ended, a more valuable pact should not be expected. The 29-year-old does, however, intend to find a new home before camp this time around.

“I feel like everything’s going to work out just perfectly,” Ngakoue said. “Like I said, everything happens for a reason… I’m just focused on myself, just focused on how can I get better, focusing on things that I could have done better last year.”

While the former second-rounder has not been able to find a long-term opportunity since his four-year run in Jacksonville, he managed to remain consistent as a pass rusher up until 2023. Ngakoue had totaled at least eight sacks in each of his first seven years in the league, spanning time with the Jags, Vikings, Ravens, Raiders and Colts. Expectations were high for a similar campaign in Chicago last year, but he managed just four sacks and six tackles for loss.

Ngakoue suffered a season-ending ankle injury in December; that ailment has played a role in the fact he has yet to sign a new deal. The Maryland alum has been floated as a candidate to return to the Windy City in 2024, but he said he is not considering specific offers at this time. Still, having an agreement (one which will no doubt be of the short-term, low-cost nature) in place relatively soon would represent a different approach to last year.

“I just hope that I’m somewhere before training camp starts because everyone needs to go through a training camp in order to have the kind of season they want to have,” Ngakoue added. “The only thing that I’m worried about is being able to help an organization, help out the young guys and guys that are veterans as well to be able to get a Super Bowl ring and just bring great energy to that building wherever I’m at.”

Bears Open To Re-Signing DE Yannick Ngakoue?

May 4th, 2024 at 8:56pm CST by Adam La Rose

Yannick Ngakoue‘s debut Bears campaign came to an abrupt end due to a broken ankle. He remains unsigned following the draft, but a return to health could lead to an uptick in interest.

Ngakoue operated as a full-time starter in 2023 upon signing a one-year Bears pact. He racked up four sacks as a member of Chicago’s underwhelming edge contingent before needing to undergo season-ending surgery. The journeyman thus posted less than eight sacks for the first time in his career, but a video he posted this week demonstrates his ankle has healed. It will be interesting to see if his market picks up as a result.

Chicago added Montez Sweat at the trade deadline, and that move was followed up by a four-year, $98MM extension. The Bears still have room to improve along the edge, though, and The Athletic’s Adam Jahns writes it “wouldn’t be surprising” if Ngakoue was brought back on a low-cost agreement (subscription required). The 29-year-old signed a one-year, $10.5MM deal last offseason, but his injury will hinder his market value this time around.

Ngakoue has bounced around the NFL over his eight-year career, spending time with the Jaguars, Vikings, Ravens, Raiders, Colts and Bears. Chicago has one major edge commitment on the books in the form of Sweat (who posted a career-high 12.5 sacks in 2023, including six with the Bears), but a veteran addition could see notable playing time this season. Ngakoue is best suited as a complementary option specializing on third downs, a role he could fulfill on a new Bears agreement.

Chicago’s only draft addition along the edge was fifth-rounder Austin Booker. The Kansas product saw little playing time in his first two college seasons, but his lone campaign with the Jayhawks upon transferring produced eight sacks. Booker could operate in a rotational capacity as a rookie, but first-team reps should not be expected right away. As things stand, veteran DeMarcus Walker is in line to start opposite Sweat. Walker (who is on the books for two more years at cap hits of $8.67MM and $5.92MM) posted 3.5 sacks last season, leaving plenty of room for improvement in that department moving forward.

The Bears have nearly $23MM in cap space, so they are better positioned than most teams to make a notable post-draft free agent addition. Ngakoue has not been linked to any potential suitors so far, but it will be worth watching to see if the Bears pursue a reunion.

Bears DE Yannick Ngakoue Out For Season

December 13th, 2023 at 10:57am CST by Sam Robinson

The Bears will be without one of their starting defensive ends for the season’s remainder. Yannick Ngakoue, who signed a one-year deal to join the team this summer, will not return this season due to the ankle injury he suffered Sunday.

Matt Eberflus said Wednesday the veteran defensive end sustained a broken ankle and will need surgery, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune tweets. This marks an unfortunate end to Ngakoue’s latest contract year, and it strips the Bears of a key defensive option as they make a late run toward a possible wild-card berth in the NFC.

Ngakoue, 28, is already on team No. 6. Though, a Bears team that ranked last in sacks in 2022 ponied up a $10.5MM contract for the former Jaguars, Vikings, Ravens, Raiders and Colts sack artist. Ngakoue has not missed a game this season. Despite Ngakoue suffering a late-game injury Sunday, Eberflus indicated he played through it. Given the severity of this malady, it is understandable that plan will not continue.

This will also end Ngakoue’s impressive sack streak. The ex-Jaguars third-round pick entered this season as the only active player to have posted at least eight sacks in each of the past seven seasons. The NFL nomad will fall short of that benchmark now, having totaled four sacks in his first Bears season. Ngakoue will also finish with a career-low seven quarterback hits; he had never previously finished with fewer than 11. The eighth-year vet had also displayed durability with his other teams; he has never missed more than two games in a season and has been sidelined for only four throughout his career. The Maryland alum will soon match that total.

The Bears, who traded Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn in 2022, finished with just 20 sacks last season. They have 21 through 13 games this year. That total still ranks 31st, though Chicago upped the ante at the trade deadline by acquiring Montez Sweat. Outflanking the Falcons’ offer, the Bears sent the Commanders a second-round pick for Sweat. The recently extended pass rusher has 3.5 sacks as a Bear and 10 overall this season. While Ngakoue led the Bears in sacks, the Sweat trade reduced his standing with the team. Sweat will now get in early work as the team’s pass-rushing anchor.

Chicago added DeMarcus Walker and Rasheem Green this offseason. Walker worked as a starter before the Sweat trade, and the $7MM-per-year player stands to return to a first-string role now. The Bears sit one game out of the No. 7 spot in the NFC playoff race, though the pursuit is littered with teams tied at 6-7 alongside the Packers, who currently hold the final wild-card slot. Chicago will hope to see Walker and Green effectively complement Sweat going forward.

Panthers Viewed Yannick Ngakoue Price As Too Steep; Bears Considered Justin Houston

August 7th, 2023 at 4:53pm CST by Sam Robinson

Several weeks after the veteran edge rusher market’s ice began to thaw when Leonard Floyd and Frank Clark found new homes, Yannick Ngakoue and Justin Houston reached agreements to continue their careers. The Bears and Panthers, respectively, signed the veteran sack artists; each team, however, considered both players.

Rumored to be eyeing a veteran edge player opposite Brian Burns for the past two offseasons, the Panthers stood down on that front in the wake of Haason Reddick‘s 2022 exit. They did not do so this year, giving Houston a one-year deal worth $6MM guaranteed. The Panthers gave Houston more money compared to the 12-year veteran’s second Ravens pact (one year, $3.5MM), but they still did not want to meet Ngakoue’s asking price.

Ngakoue ended up collecting $10MM guaranteed from the Bears, and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes the Panthers viewed this as too steep. In Houston, the Panthers will go with a player six years older but one who matched Ngakoue’s 2022 sack total (9.5) during his second Ravens season. Houston also loomed as a Bears consolation prize of sorts, with Fowler adding he was Chicago’s backup plan in case the team could not move Ngakoue’s asking price down to a level it deemed reasonable.

The Bears had eyed Ngakoue for a while, but Fowler adds the team spent time talking the seven-year vet down from a $13MM-per-year price point and had believed he wanted a multiyear deal. When Ngakoue changed agents earlier this year, a multiyear pact was indeed believed to be on his radar.

Marcus Davenport signed a one-year, $13MM deal ($10MM guaranteed) earlier this year, and Ngakoue’s production dwarfs the former first-rounder’s. Ngakoue is the only player riding a streak of seven straight eight-plus sack seasons. The former third-round pick began that surge to start his career in 2016. That said, Ngakoue has been viewed as a pass rush specialist of sorts; his issues in the run game undoubtedly led to the former Jaguars draftee/franchise tag recipient needing to wait until August before catching on somewhere.

Ngakoue, 28, will anchor the Bears’ edge-rushing corps. He had said previously landing with a surefire contender would not be a requirement for his latest free agency. While Ngakoue sought a deal that matched his 2021 Raiders AAV — from a two-year, $26MM contract that ended up being sent from the Raiders to the Colts — he still outperformed Floyd, Clark and Houston on the market. The Bears are not eyeing a designated pass rusher role for the well-traveled sack artist, with Matt Eberflus confirming (via The Athletic’s Adam Jahns; subscription required) he views Ngakoue as an every-down player.

Former Raiders defensive line coach Rod Marinelli, whom Eberflus regards as a mentor, gave the second-year Bears HC a strong Ngakoue endorsement, Jahns adds. Marinelli, who coached Ngakoue in 2021, also factored into the veteran edge choosing Chicago. Of course, the Bears’ eight-figure guarantee likely provided the biggest push here.

As the Bears and Panthers made key additions to their edge corps, Jadeveon Clowney remains unsigned. While Robert Quinn, Melvin Ingram and Carlos Dunlap are also unattached, Clowney is much younger — at 30 — and lines up as the top outside rusher available.

Bears, DE Yannick Ngakoue Agree To Deal

August 3rd, 2023 at 10:20pm CST by Adam La Rose

The top edge rusher still on the market has found a home. Yannick Ngakoue has agreed to terms on a one-year deal with the Bears, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link).

Schefter adds that the contract includes $10MM guaranteed, with a maximum value of $10.5MM. Ngakoue made out very well for himself financially considering how tepid his market appeared to be for much of the offseason. It does not come as a surprise, however, that he will head to the Windy City in 2023.

The Bears – a team which recorded a league-worst 22 sacks last season – were named as a team to watch in June. A report from that time indicated Ngakoue was seeking between $8MM and $10MM on his next contract, a figure which outpaces what Leonard Floyd and Frank Clark were able to secure (in terms of base compensation) from the Bills and Broncos, respectively. Bears GM Ryan Poles has been rather public about his ongoing desire to land an upgrade on the edge, and this move has allowed that to come to fruition.

Ngakoue, 28, had originally stated his desire to sign a multi-year deal with a contending team. Securing a long-term commitment from any team has proven elusive to date in his career, though. The former second-rounder has played for five teams in his seven years in the NFL, remaining productive at every stop. Ngakoue has recorded at least eight sacks every year, but his struggles against the run have limited his overall effectiveness and thus his ability to find a stable home.

The Maryland alum changed his stance last month, indicating he did not see the chances of his next team to compete for a Super Bowl as a make-or-break factor in his decision-making process. After a 3-14 season last year, the Bears certainly qualify as a team which is not expected to be among the heavyweights in the NFC. Despite head coach Matt Eberflus having a background with the Colts, where Ngakoue played last season, the pair have never worked together.

The Bears entered Thursday with the most cap space in the league, holding over $28MM in available funds. A sizeable investment in Ngakoue will eat considerably into that total, but if he can remain consistent as a pass-rushing presence, he will prove to be an effective addition as Chicago looks to take a needed step forward on defense.

DE Yannick Ngakoue Not Prioritizing Contenders?

July 18th, 2023 at 12:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

All the attention around the NFL was understandably focused on the running back market yesterday, but a number of veterans at other positions have been done little favors during the 2023 offseason. The edge rush market has remained stagnant through to the onset of training camps.

That has left Yannick Ngakoue on the open market despite a track record of performances as a sack artist. The 28-year-old has played for five different teams during his seven-year career, spending the 2022 campaign with the Colts. He led the team with 9.5 sacks, but it has been known for some time that another move will be required when he joins his next club.

Ngakoue had previously stated an intention of signing a multi-year deal with a contending team. Doing so would allow the former second-rounder to find some stability during his NFL career, while also providing an established pass-rushing contribution in the process. Ngakoue has recorded at least eight sacks every year in his career to date. His stance on his next destination appears to have shifted, however.

“Any team in the NFL is an ideal landing spot for me,” the Maryland product said during an appearance on the Jim Rome Show (video link). “It’s a blessing to be able to work any job in the NFL. Being able to go and practice with a team, go through walk-throughs, go through film study, it’s a blessing. It doesn’t matter what organization in particular.”

A report from last month indicated Ngakoue was seeking between $8 and $10MM per season on his next contract, a figure he is unlikely to be able to reach. The one-year pacts signed by fellow veteran edge rushers Leonard Floyd and Frank Clark checked in at $7MM and $5.5MM, respectively, in terms of base compensation. Those marks are likely more realistic for Ngakoue and other free agents like Justin Houston, Robert Quinn and Jadeveon Clowney with training camps just around the corner.

Movement on the edge market can be expected soon, given the depth of options still available and the degree to which contributors can thus be had on relatively inexpensive deals. Ngakoue will be a name to watch in that regard, especially if he is willing to consider essentially any potential destination.

Latest On DE Yannick Ngakoue

June 17th, 2023 at 9:36pm CST by Adam La Rose

The veteran edge market thinned out recently with deals being signed by Leonard Floyd and Frank Clark, but other pass rushers are still available at this point. One of those is Yannick Ngakoue, who figures to be a target for several teams still eyeing additions to their defensive fronts.

The 28-year-old has one of the league’s best track records with respect to sack production, something he has maintained during his nomadic time following his trade away from the Jaguars in 2020. Ngakoue is still angling for a multi-year deal from his newest team in a bid to find some career stability, and he acknowledged his preference for joining a contender earlier this offseason.

With respect to finances, the former second-rounder’s asking price is likely the primary obstacle to a deal getting finalized. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reports that Ngakoue was seeking between $8MM and $10MM as of May. The base value of Floyd’s pact with the Bills ($7MM) as well as Clark’s with the Broncos ($5.5MM) check in below that rate, though each one-year contract includes incentives. Attaining a longer investment, especially at a higher rate, would be a tall order at this point in the offseason for Ngakoue.

The Maryland product should still have suitors, especially if his contract terms come down. Biggs names the Bears as a team which would be well-suited to add Ngakoue, who has accumulated 65 sacks in his career and registered no fewer than eight in any given season. Chicago was relatively quiet in free agency and the team eyed the draft as an avenue for bolstering its pass rush. While three defensive tackles were added in April, no true edge rushers were drafted. A move amongst the remaining free agents would come as little surprise.

In Chicago or elsewhere, Ngakoue should be able to land a notable role as a sack artist this offseason. He recently changed agents to help achieve that goal, though teams may not need to proceed with much urgency during the break before training camps open in July. Especially if his asking price remains higher than the current market likely values him at, he may find himself in search of a new deal for the foreseeable future.

DE Yannick Ngakoue Changes Agents

June 13th, 2023 at 4:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

Movement finally took place in the edge rusher market this week, with the Bills and Broncos respectively bolstering their defenses by adding Leonard Floyd and Frank Clark. Younger than each while riding an unmatched active sack streak, Yannick Ngakoue remains a free agent.

The NFL’s only player with at least eight sacks in each of the past seven seasons, Ngakoue entered the offseason as one of the top free agent defenders. He resided behind only Marcus Davenport among edge players on PFR’s top 50 free agents list, and although DeAndre Hopkins and Dalvin Cook have hit the market, the well-traveled defensive end still has a case as the top player left unsigned.

Ngakoue is making an effort to accelerate his market. The seven-year veteran signed with agent Drew Rosenhaus, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The famed power broker will now attempt to land Ngakoue a quality deal — likely with a sixth NFL team. Adisa Bakari had previously represented Ngakoue.

After a four-year Jaguars run, Ngakoue has since bounced to the Vikings, Ravens, Raiders and Colts. He has not played for the same team in consecutive years since his Jacksonville stay ended via a tag-and-trade transaction. Known as a pass rusher with suboptimal run defense skills, Ngakoue profiles as a quality complementary edge but certainly could make a case to be the top presence on certain teams.

Going into his age-28 season, Ngakoue is coming off a 9.5-sack slate for the Colts. He served as Indianapolis’ lead sack artist last season and teamed with Maxx Crosby in Vegas, registering 10 QB drops in 2021. While Ngakoue has spent three seasons with Gus Bradley (in three cities), he has also produced with other defensive coordinators. He set a career high with 33 QB hits for the 2018 Jaguars and forced an NFL-leading six fumbles for the ’17 Jags, helping that team to the AFC championship game.

This year’s top UFA edge defenders have not enticed teams to commit multiyear deals. Prior to the ice thawing on the veteran wing last week — via the $7MM and $5.5MM guarantees given to Floyd and Clark — Davenport agreed to a one-year, $13MM deal ($10MM guaranteed) with the Vikings. That said, Arden Key and Samson Ebukam, the latter of whom replacing Ngakoue in Indianapolis, did well for themselves in March. Ebukam fetched a three-year, $24MM deal ($10.8MM guaranteed), while Key signed a three-year, $21MM accord that came with $13MM locked in.

Given Ngakoue’s career path and three-month free agency stay, he might need to settle for another short-term deal and follow the Jadeveon Clowney route. But ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler indicates the former third-round pick is still looking for a multiyear commitment (Twitter link). Ngakoue’s pass-rushing production warrants such a commitment, and unlike Clowney, injuries have not been an issue (four missed games in seven years). Clark and Floyd’s deals also did well to set a veteran edge market, and while Ngakoue will likely look to eclipse Floyd’s guarantee, it will be worth monitoring to see if he holds out for multiyear agreement.

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