Getty Jacksonville Jaguars DE Yannick Ngakoue.
The Baltimore Ravens made the move to deal for Yannick Ngakoue a week ago, and finally, fans got to see the player hit the field in his new colors.
Wednesday, Ngakoue had his first practice with the Ravens and got acclimated to playing with his new teammates. It was a sight to behold seeing the key defensive end running around on the field and getting used to wearing the purple and black.
Here’s a look at Ngakoue getting loose on the field:
Obviously, it’s nice to see the player coming into the mix and getting ready after the huge trade sent him from Minnesota to Baltimore. When the Ravens added him to the mix, it was with the expectation that he would be a big force for the defensive line.
Certainly, it looks as if Ngakoue is feeling good, moving well and really enjoying his new surroundings as this video shows.
Yannick Ngkoue’s Role Week 8 vs. Steelers
The Ravens could be expected to ease Ngakoue into the lineup and not ask him to do too much during his first week. He could be a situational pass rusher and see some run in the game, but it might take a few weeks to get Ngakoue to the point where he is a
Though Ngakoue was dealt earlier this season to the Minnesota Vikings, he had already long desired coming to the AFC North wth the Ravens, and the team wanted to try to make something work out on a deal front as reports claimed afterward. Ngakoue is from Maryland, and the fact he lands with his home state team has to be a huge level of comfort to the player.
It shouldn’t take long to see Ngakoue getting comfortable and making his impact felt. If it doesn’t happen immediately in terms of Week 8 against the Steelers in a huge showdown game, however, fans should resist the urge to panic. It might take a few weeks to ease Ngakoue into his new situation and new defense.
Yannick Ngakoue Stats
There is little doubt that Ngakoue can bring it defensively in his career and might only be trending upward as a player. Just 25 years old out of Maryland, Ngakoue is already one of the next best pass rushers in the league. Coming into this season, he’s put up 122 tackles and 37.5 sacks plus 2 interceptions during his time in the league. A 2017 Pro Bowl player, Ngakoue has also forced an impressive 14 fumbles in his career, showcasing his big play player abilities.
It seems likely that Ngakoue will be able to help the Ravens, even in spite of some lower stat totals this year. He’s had 10 tackles and 4 sacks which are solid totals, but not huge. The Ravens will love that production along their line and for their defense in terms of getting after the quarterback.
The time has nearly come to see what Ngakoue can bring to the mix, and the hope is the Steelers feel the pain first. It would be ironic given his rooting interests as a child.