Jaguars' Ngakoue ends holdout
Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Yannick Ngakoue has ended his holdout and was in attendance for Sunday's practice, head coach Doug Marrone announced.
Look who's back.@YannickNgakoue | #DUUUVAL pic.twitter.com/bm9jFAvzNJ
- #DUUUVAL (@Jaguars) August 4, 2019
Ngakoue, 24, is entering a contract year and needed to report by Tuesday to have this season count as an accrued campaign toward his free agency. He skipped all of June's mandatory minicamp and had stayed away from training camp in hopes of forcing a new deal.
Marrone said Ngakoue is "ready to go" and won't need to be eased back into action.
The pass-rusher spoke to reporters after his first practice back with the team. Asked if a deal could still be reached before the season, Ngakoue said it's "out of my hands," according to Phillip Heilman of The Athletic.
"They had a chance to sign me for a long-term deal but it didn't get done," said Ngakoue. "It is what it is. I love football, love my teammates, and I'm here to play games."
Ngakoue was reportedly offered a short-term deal worth over $19 million per year by the Jaguars, which would've made him the fourth highest-paid defensive end in football, but he appears intent on hitting the open market in 2020.
Jacksonville is currently projected to have the third-least cap space in 2020 (it's already $8 million over the estimated cap for next year).
While defensive tackle Marcell Dareus can be released after this season to gain significant cap savings, the Jaguars have a mega extension on the horizon with star cornerback Jalen Ramsey.
Pass-rushers have received huge contracts this offseason. As a free agent, Trey Flowers signed a five-year, $90-million deal with the Detroit Lions to top the defensive end market in terms of yearly salary ($18 million).
Flowers was then quickly unseated by DeMarcus Lawrence and Frank Clark, who inked extensions worth $21 million per year and $20.8 million per year, respectively.
Ngakoue - a former third-round pick - has racked up 29.5 sacks in his first three seasons in the NFL, the 11th-most in the league over that span.
The 24-year-old is a key part of Jacksonville's talented defensive line, which includes Calais Campbell, Dareus, Taven Bryan, and first-round rookie Josh Allen.
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