Matt Verderame of Fansided, citing multiple league sources, reports that the Jaguars are unlikely to allow DE Yannick Ngakoue to test the open market this offseason.
Instead, Verdarme says it’s “increasingly likely” that Jacksonville will franchise Ngakoue if they’re unable to get a long-term extension worked out.
The franchise tag would run the Jaguars close to $18 million fully guaranteed for the 2020 season.
Ngakoue has indicated that he would not be happy with the franchise, which opens the possibility that he could skip OTAs, minicamp and potentially training camp.
A few weeks ago, Jaguars GM Dave Caldwell said they “would love to have” to re-sign Ngakoue this offseason and he’s hoping they can get something together “relatively easily.”
“It’s a deal that we feel like could take a little bit of time but should be done hopefully relatively easily,” Caldwell said, via Jaguars.com.
Nagakoue is in line for a massive contract should he hit the open market and could end up securing $18 million or more per year if he reaches free agency.
Ngakoue, 24, is a former third-round pick of the Jaguars back in 2016. He played out the final year of his four-year, $3.48 million contract and made a base salary of $834,269 for the 2019 season.
Ngakoue will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason for the first time in his NFL career.
In 2019, Ngakoue appeared in 15 games for the Jaguars and recorded 41 tackles, eight sacks, an interception, a defensive touchdown, four forced fumbles, a recovery and six passes defended.
We have him included in our Top 100 – 2020 Free Agents list.
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