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Yannick Ngakoue turned 25 years old on Tuesday. He celebrated by letting everyone know the one present he wants is a trade out of Jacksonville.
The stud defensive end has been heavily linked to the Philadelphia Eagles for quite some time so his decision to post a photo of Brian Dawkins on Instagram had people talking. Ngakoue, who has 37.5 sacks in four seasons, would be a game-changer for the Eagles. He’s a player — in tandem with 27-year-old Javon Hargrave — who could anchor their defensive line for years to come.
The Jaguars have placed the franchise tag on Ngakoue and continue to tell interested teams that they aren’t willing to let him go for pennies on the dollar. The pass-rusher out of Maryland keeps chirping that he won’t play for Jacksonville this year.
In response to a tweet from NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo updating possible trade scenarios, Ngakoue went on the offensive and flat-out told the Jaguars that it’s time to trade him. Enough is enough and let’s “agree to disagree.”
“Let’s agree to disagree. Why hold a man from taking care of his family,” Ngakoue wrote. “It’s obvious my time is up in my current situation. Let’s both move on.”
Brian Dawkins Picture Fuels Trade Speculation
Yannick Ngakoue has been blatantly obvious about where he wants to be traded. He has posted pictures of great Eagles pass-rushers like Reggie White and Trent Cole on social media and even used a bird emoji as a caption. Sure, he hasn’t come out and mentioned he wants to play for Philadelphia but the intent is obvious. You can draw your own conclusions.
On Tuesday, on the same day as his 25th birthday, Ngakoue shared a photo of Hall-of-Fame safety Brian Dawkins in an Instagram story. Dawkins is arguably the most beloved Eagles player in franchise history, a fan favorite and all-time legend who embodied the grit and determination of the City of Brotherly Love. If you want to endear yourself to the fan base in Philly, then aligning yourself with Dawkins is the best way to do it.
Ngakoue hasn’t stopped there, though. He has also been liking and retweeting posts from Eagles players, as well as fans encouraging him to come to Philadelphia. The defensive end is trying to control where he ends up but it’s not up to him.
Remember, the franchise tag would pay him around $18 million in 2020 and whatever team acquired him in a trade would have to work on locking him up to a lucrative long-term deal. It’s pointless to give up draft picks for a one-year rental player.
The Eagles would have to forfeit tangible assets to Jacksonville in a trade. They are seeking at least one first-round draft pick — that would be the 21st pick overall if the Eagles made the deal — and maybe much more. It all hinges on the level of hardball Jacksonville wants to play.
How Much is Ngakoue Worth to Eagles?
The main question comes down to how much are the Eagles willing to give up for Yannick Ngakoue. Philadelphia isn’t the only team interested, with multiple reports saying their NFC East rivals in New York are top contenders to land him. Eagles GM Howie Roseman values his “draft capital” higher than most front-office executives do and doesn’t like parting with early-round picks.
One far-out-of-left-field trade rumor has the Eagles giving up Rasul Douglas in a package for Ngakoue. They would have to surrender the No. 21 pick in this year’s draft, a fourth-round pick in 2020 and a first-round pick in 2021. Philadelphia would somehow get the Jaguars’ No. 9 overall pick in return and turn it into Oklahoma wide receiver CeeDee Lamb.
Is that a pipe dream? Yes. Ngakoue just turned 25 and has recorded at least eight sacks per year since coming into the league in 2016. Jacksonville would never agree to such a one-sided deal. It’s still a fun move to ponder during the quarantine.
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