Jacksonville Jaguars Pro Bowl defensive end Yannick Ngakoue is set to enter free agency in a few weeks, as the 24-year-old former third-round pick from the 2016 NFL Draft is seeking a long-term contract that will well compensate him.

According to Mike DiRocco of ESPN, Ngakoue is seeking $20-plus million in average annual value in his next deal.

RECOMMENDED (Article Continues Below)
A blank silhouette/outline of a person with the logo for the Jacksonville Jaguars in the middle. On either side of the silhouette/outline are UCLA defensive end Laiatu Latu and Texas running back Jonathon Brooks.

Ben Strauss ·

GM Trent Baalke in the middle, Brian Thomas Jr, Ennis Rakestraw Jr, T'Vondre Sweat around him, and Jacksonville Jaguars wallpaper in the background

Enzo Flojo ·

Trevor Lawrence and Jaguars talking new contract

Steve Silverman ·

Ngakoue wants a long-term deal and is seeking about $22 million annually. He also indicated late last season that he would be unlikely to show up until the Aug. 11 reporting deadline for players under contract if he had to play on the franchise tag.

Further, DiRocco predicts that the Jaguars will inevitably place the franchise tag on Ngakoue, who recorded a career-best 36 solo tackles in the past season.

In four seasons with the Jaguars, Ngakoue has also totaled 37.5 sacks, astonishingly only leading the team in QB take-downs in only one (his rookie) season. Even his season-best of 12 sacks in 2017 was behind five-time Pro-Bowler Calais Campbell. This past season, Ngakoue tallied eight sacks—2.5 behind rookie edge rusher Josh Allen, who Jacksonville nabbed with the seventh overall pick in last year's draft.

Ngakoue would be making slightly less than $19.3 million next season should the Jaguars indeed place the franchise tag on him—lower than the reported latest negotiation from his camp—however, one obstacle that could be removed to better clear a path for Ngakoue's cash windfall would be releasing several players, including cornerback AJ Bouye, as DiRocco suggests could happen.

Regardless. Ngakoue is expected to have an elevated salary after his rookie deal expires and stay with the Jaguars in 2020.