It always seems that around this time of year, some trade takes over the NFL and it just so happens to be defensive players. If you remember, a couple of years ago Khalil Mack got traded to the Bears after new head coach Jon Gruden decided to do a rebuild of the team. Last year, the Texans traded away former number one overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, Jadeveon Clowney, to Seattle. Today, here we are again when this morning the Jaguars agreed to send Yannick to Minnesota.
Trade Details
- Minnesota receives Yannick Ngakoue
- Jaguars receive a 2nd round pick in 2021 & a 5th round pick in 2022
Jaguars go from 2017 contenders to rebuild mode
Two and a half years ago the Jaguars had a fourth quarter lead over the Patriots in the AFC Championship game, but they would go on to lose. As a Jaguar fan how could you not have been excited for the future ahead. When you looked at the names on the defense like Calais Campbell, Yannick Ngakoue, Malik Jackson, Telvin Smith, Paul Posluszny, Myles Jack, Jalen Ramsey, AJ Bouye, and Tashaun Gipson you should be set up for years, but that was not the case. The Jaguars are another example of how quickly things can change in a matter of a couple seasons.
How the Jaguars have recently changed
- Jalen Ramsey – Traded to the Rams
- AJ Bouye – Traded to the Broncos
- Calais Campbell – Traded to the Ravens
- Malik Jackson – Released
- Telvin Smith – Retired
- Yannick Ngakoue – Traded to the Vikings
Just like that, what was the core of this team is now one of the many problems that the organization will have to figure out this upcoming season. How do you start to rebuild this defense and as far as the offense is concerned, is Gardner Minshew your franchise Quarterback? Is Leonard Fournette going to be your cowbell back for years to come? All these questions with very little answers and it would not surprise me if they challenge for the number 1 pick in this year’s upcoming draft. *Cough, cough* . . . Trevor Lawrence.
How Yannick finally won and is leaving Jacksonville for Minnesota
This would not be the first time a player gets traded to another team, but in most instances some players always wanted a way out for reasons of their own. For example, Alex Mack was a great player for the Browns, but after years of playing his best football he decide to opt out of his contract which had three years remaining and took an eight million dollar pay cut to play for the Falcons. Khalil Mack was a player who was one of the premier defenders of the league and was coming up for a new contract, but held out of Raiders training camp in Jon Gruden’s first year back as a head coach. In the end, Gruden decided to save cap space and trade Mack to Chicago who was willing to pay Mack’s contract. In this case, Yannick knew it was time for him to go because in just two years he saw his teammates either get shipped off or retire. The organization has finished fourth in the division the last two years, so the wins were not there, and lastly the Jaguars were not willing to meet his wishes when it came to contract talks. So, it was understandable that he wanted a fresh start and as of today his fresh start will begin in Minnesota. What’s worse is that Yannick would rather take a pay cut than have stayed in Jacksonville under the tag where he would have received close to 18 million dollars. However, with this trade he is willing to play for 13 million and only on a one year deal, so that should tell you how much he wanted out of Jacksonville.
What’s next for Yannick and the Jaguars
When Yannick Ngakoue was drafted in the third round (69th) overall nobody expected him to start right away. However, just into his second game of his career he got the start over Dante Fowler, another jaguar who would eventually get traded. Since he has been named the starter and since joining the NFL he has 85 QB hits, most in the league, 37.5 sacks (2nd most in the league), 14 forced fumbles (2nd most in the league), and 42 tackles for loss (4th most in the league). The vikings now have two studs at their defensive end positions with Hunter and Ngakoue, two studs at linebacker in Barr and Kendricks and two studs at safety in Smith and Harris. If Minnesota’s offense can pick up where it left off like it did at the end of the year and if the defense can do what it has been doing under the watch of Mike Zimmer, it’s easy to believe that the Vikings can challenge for the division this year. As for the Jaguars, it’s time for another rebuild for Shahid Khan, but with all the draft capital they will have in the 2021 NFL Draft with two first rounders, two second rounders, two fourth rounders and ten picks overall, it will be up to scouting department, and General Manager to rebuild this franchise. It will up to them to make the Jaguars competitive once again just like they were two and a half years ago.
