NFL Free Agency Primer: Yannick Ngakoue

The regular season has come to a close, and most teams have already begun the complicated process of preparing for the 2023 season. As the new league year approaches, we'll be covering the impending free agents most capable of shifting the balance of power in the NFL.

The Player: Yannick Ngakoue

Edge rusher Yannick Ngakoue has bounced around the league so much in his young career that he's flown under the radar at one of the league's highest-profile positions despite piling up impressive numbers. The 27-year-old has played on four teams in four years, yet was productive on every one of them. He has tallied 8.0 sacks or more in all seven of his seasons since entering the league and even led the league in forced fumbles during his Pro Bowl 2017 season. He still has plenty of productive years ahead of him.

The Fit:

Ngakoue is a highly prolific pass rusher who has a tendency to wear out his welcome with teams. He struggles with the subtleties and dirty work of his position and has consistently earned poor grades from Pro Football Focus in recent seasons. He belongs on a rebuilding team desperate for competence from one of their starting defensive ends.

The Contract:

Ngakoue has the stats of an edge rusher who would typically earn a massive deal in free agency, but the fact that he's already played for five teams in his relatively young career indicates something about him is rubbing organizations the wrong way. He just finished up a two-year, $26 million deal; the Las Vegas Raiders traded him after the first year of the contract. He's probably worthy of a similar deal, but he's running out of suitors.

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