Jags DE Ngakoue ends holdout without new deal - 3 minutes read
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Jaguars defensive end Yannick Ngakoue reported to the team's facility Sunday, ending his 11-day holdout without a new contract.
Ngakoue said he's not angry that he couldn't reach an agreement on a long-term contract with the Jaguars, but said he wasn't going to take a deal that he felt didn't measure up to what he deserves.
"At the end of the day, they had a chance to sign me for a long-term deal, but it didn't get done," Ngakoue said after Sunday's practice. "It is what it is. I'm just here like I said. I love football, love my teammates, and I'm here to play games.
"... At the end of the day, I know my value, I know my worth. That's all I can say. Doesn't matter about anybody else knowing my value. I showed each and every year."
Ngakoue arrived at the team's facility before 7 a.m. ET, passed his conditioning test, and was on the practice field with the rest of his teammates at 8:45 a.m. Ngakoue lined up with the first-team defense in the first 11-on-11 snaps and will fly to Baltimore with the rest of the team on Sunday evening for two days of joint practices with the Ravens.
He 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.
"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 Chiefs signed in the offseason.
Both players' deals are worth more than $100 million, with Lawrence receiving $65 million guaranteed and Clark getting $62.3 million.
Ngakoue said he had no idea why the Jaguars were unwilling to meet his contract demands -- something similar to the $21 million annual salary that Lawrence received -- but he isn't going to dwell on that and is focusing on the 2019 season.
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.
"I view myself as unique," Ngkaoue said. "I don't even compare myself to no other pass-rusher. No disrespect to those guys. Those are my guys -- Dee Ford, all them guys, Frank [Clark]. I'm my own player. I feel like I bring a different aspect to the game. Stats show.
"... I'm in God's hands at the end of the day, you know what I mean? I've been playing this game since I was in the sixth grade. I'm in his hands. I can't really worry about the future. I just got to go out there and play full speed."