Jags DE Ngakoue ends holdout without new deal
Jaguars DE Yannick Ngakoue reports to the team’s facility on Sunday, ending his 11-day holdout without a new contract. (0:19)
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jaguars defensive end Yannick Ngakoue reported to the team’s facility Sunday, ending his 11-day holdout without a new contract.
Ngakoue faced a Tuesday deadline to report to camp to ensure that he would be able to accrue his fourth season and be eligible to become an unrestricted free agent after this season if he did not sign a new contract or if the team used the franchise tag on him. He’s in the final year of his rookie contract.
He faces a fine of $528,650, which also includes $88,650 for skipping the team’s mandatory three-day minicamp in June.
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“It’s great to see him,” coach Doug Marrone said. “Good to have him back and ready to go, so we’re excited. He’s ready to go and in great shape. We’re all together.”
Ngakoue is due to make $2.02 million this season and held out because he wants a deal similar to the mega-contracts that pass-rushers DeMarcus Lawrence of the Cowboys and Frank Clark of the Kansas City Chiefs signed in the offseason.
Both players’ deals are worth more than $100 million, and Lawrence’s annual salary of $21 million and Clark’s annual salary of $20.8 million rank third and fourth, respectively, among defensive players in 2019.
In addition, Lawrence received $65 million guaranteed and Clark received $62.3 million.
Ngakoue has recorded 29.5 sacks and 10 forced fumbles since he entered the league as a third-round pick in 2016. He has more sacks over the past three seasons than Lawrence (26), new Niners DE Dee Ford (25) and new Lions DE Trey Flowers (21), who also got new contracts that guaranteed them $45 million and $56 million, respectively.
Ngakoue is reportedly seeking a deal that pays him more than $20 million annually.