It was always likely Yannick Ngakoue would end his holdout from training camp well before the regular season began. Given that context and the star pass-rusher's recent tweet, it seems only a matter of time until he returns to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
On Thursday, Ngakoue posted a two-word tweet hinting at his imminent presence at Jaguars training camp.
The Return🤫
— Yannick Ngakoue (@YannickNgakoue) August 1, 2019
The fourth-year veteran has been seeking a contract extension from Jacksonville throughout the offseason. Though he participated in voluntary activities leading up to summer and even stressed the need for him to assume a bigger leadership role in 2019, Ngakoue sat out of minicamp in June in hopes of speeding along negotiations and has been absent for the first few practices of training camp, too.
Article Continues BelowHis likely return isn't necessarily an indication of progress in contract talks between he and the Jaguars as much as it is an inevitable reality of retaining leverage. If Ngakoue fails to report to camp by August 6, he would be a restricted free agent next offseason, ineligible for the franchise tag and further delaying his coming payday.
Yannick Ngakoue, a Pro Bowler in 2017, has more combined sacks and hits on opposing quarterbacks than any edge rusher in the NFL since he entered the league in 2016, according to Pro Football Focus. Last season, he had nine and-a-half sacks and 33 quarterback hits. Ngakoue is in the final season of the four-year, $3.4 million contract he signed as a rookie, making him one of the NFL’s most underpaid players.
Jacksonville, which missed the playoffs last season after advancing to the AFC Championship game in 2017, has dreams of contention again after adding quarterback Nick Foles, MVP of Super Bowl LII with the Philadelphia Eagles.