Yannick Ngakoue, who has been a no-show for the start of training camp with the Jaguars, has parted ways his agent, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. The four-year veteran pass rusher is currently in the five-day waiting period before he is permitted to hire his third representation since he declared for the 2016 NFL Draft.
The disgruntled 2017 Pro Bowler has yet to sign his franchise tender that would pay him $17.778 million for the 2020 season. Ngakoue is currently holding out as he is reportedly hoping to be traded by the Jaguars before the start of the 2020 season. He said earlier this offseason the Jaguars have missed their window to extend his contract after having the opportunity to do so last offseason. Ngakoue is likely hoping for a contract that would pay him at least $20 million annually which would make him among the top-five highest-paid pass rushers in the NFL.
″Everything comes to an end and it's time for me to move on to the next chapter of my career,″ Ngakoue told ESPN's NFL Live earlier this offseason. ″I am forever thankful what Jacksonville has brought to me and my family, but it's time to move on.″
Jaguars coach Doug Marrone told reporters last week that he has not had any recent contact with Ngakoue, whose 12 sacks and six forced fumbles during the 2017 season helped the Jaguars advance to the AFC title game for the third time in franchise history. Despite the lack of communication, Marrone hasn't appeared to have shut the door on Ngakoue returning to the team at some point in the near future.
"He's one player I know that's always ready, always taking care of himself," Marrone said of Ngakoue. "I'm going to reiterate it again. As a coach, you love for that perfect harmony between management and the player as far as the business end of things. When you look at it, both sides have rights from a management side to a player's side.
"You look for a solution to be part of to help bring parties together. Dave (general manager Dave Caldwell) would be better to speak on where everything is at as far as talks and whether they talked or not."
Despite the loss of Calais Campbell and Ngakoue's ongoing situation, the Jaguars have put themselves in a position to have a solid defense in 2020. Jacksonville's defense is expected to handle multiple looks (both odd and even-man fronts) while leaning on talented young edge rushers Josh Allen, a Pro Bowler last season after recording a team-high 10.5 sacks as a rookie, and first-round pick K'Lavon Chaisson, who tallied 6.5 sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss for the national champion LSU Tigers in 2019. Fellow rookie Davon Hamilton, whose consistent play helped Ohio State win three consecutive Big 10 titles, should battle Al Woods and Abry Jones for a role on early downs.
The Jaguars still have linebacker Myles Jack, one of the remaining players from Jacksonville's formidable 2017 defensive unit, but he's ticked for a move to the weakside LB position after the team signed former Browns linebacker Joe Schobert, a 2017 Pro Bowler who recorded a career-high four interceptions in 2019. Jack and Schobert should be on the field for most of the snaps, but if the team wants to add a strongside linebacker to the mix, that role could go to the rookie Chaisson or one of Leon Jacobs or Cassius Marsh.
Jacksonville's biggest addition to the defense came at No. 9 overall in the 2020 draft with cornerback C.J. Henderson, who broke up 11 passes during his final season at Florida. He'll step right into a starting spot alongside Tre Herndon, with D.J. Hayden manning the slot. While many of the household names have been dealt and Ngakoue could be the next one out the door, there's an intriguing collection of talent on this side of the ball for Jacksonville in the form of Allen, Chaisson, Schobert, Jack and Henderson, in particular.
As for Ngakoue, he is hoping -- along with receiving a lucrative contract -- to join a team that is in the hunt to win a championship sooner rather than later.
″If I end up landing on a team that's prime time, hopefully I can show the world what I can do,″ Ngakoue said back in April. ″I really want to be part of a team with great culture and winning is a habit. I don't want to be part of a team where losing is a norm or anything of that nature.″
