Jacksonville Jaguars: Yannick Ngakoue is back and determined

Yannick Ngakoue is back in the Jacksonville Jaguars fold after sitting out the start of training camp in an effort to get a new contract.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have welcomed Yannick Ngakoue back into the fold after he ended his training camp holdout. He wanted a new contract but the cash strapped Jaguars did not blink. Ngakoue is back and sounds very motivated.

It’s no secret the Jaguars have a salary cap problem looming. Much of the blame can be pointed to the Blake Bortles extension that left most Jaguars fans shaking their head. Bortles is gone but $15.5 million is still on the books, according to Spotrac.

Perhaps, looking back, Jacksonville should not have extended Bortles but planned ahead for the expiring contract of Ngakoue. There would have been money to spend on him and put back for Miles Jack and Jalen Ramsey. Their contract extensions are coming due soon, as well.

Ngakoue’s return coincides with the Aug. 6 deadline concerning free agency. To qualify for an accrued season, a player must have reported to his contracted team by then. Ngakoue was not going to sit out all season.

He is back with the team without a new deal. Jacksonville did not have the funds to meet his demands. Ngakoue will get his accrued season in the final year of his rookie contract.

John Oehser of Jaguars.com offered up Ngakoue’s thoughts on his return:

"“I love football, I love my teammates and I’m here to play games,” Ngakoue said..“I just have to go out there and play full speed.”"

Ngakoue has performed at a very high level since his rookie season. In fact, his elite level of play made Dante Fowler’s departure inevitable. Expect him to continue to perform at a Pro Bowl level. Since 2016, he has made 81 combined tackles with 29.5 sacks. Most of all, he makes plays. He has forced 10 fumbles and ran one back for a touchdown in 2017.

Ngakoue knows that 2019 is a huge season for him. If he decides to test the free-agent market, he needs statistics to back up his contract demands. There is no reason to doubt whether he gets those numbers.

Jacksonville found a diamond in the rough with Ngakoue. He has performed far and above the level of his current rookie deal. It’s going to be awesome to see how he plays throughout the season.