The recent trade which dealt defensive end Yannick Ngakoue to the Baltimore Ravens will have major implications for the future of the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Minnesota Vikings. The degree of success that Ngakoue and the Ravens will attain by the end of this season can dictate the type of assets that the Jaguars will receive ahead of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Minnesota previously acquired Ngakoue from the Jaguars during the offseason for a second-round draft pick and a conditional fifth-round pick. The fifth-round pick becomes a fourth-rounder if Ngakoue goes to the Pro Bowl this season, and it turns into a third-round pick if he goes to the Pro Bowl and the Vikings win the Super Bowl.
Those same conditions still apply to Ngakoue as a Raven, according to the language in the trade between the Jaguars and Vikings. The language in the trade agreement is not team-specific, a source told ESPN as written by Adam Schefter.
After a dismal start to the 2020 season, the Vikings opted to part ways with their recent acquisition and traded Ngakoue to the Ravens for a 2021 third-round pick and a 2022 conditional fifth-round pick back on October 22.
Through six games played, the 2017 Pro Bowler tallied five sacks, two forced fumbles, seven quarterback hits, and 12 tackles for Minnesota. His contributions failed to pay dividends for the team as the Vikings plummeted to a 1-5 start, their worst under head coach Mike Zimmer. Perhaps the Ngakoue trade is only the beginning of their impending roster shakeup to prepare for a rebuild for the coming years.
Despite the Vikings' situation, Ngakoue's services will now be greatly utilized by the Ravens who also acquired a new weapon on the offensive end in veteran receiver Dez Bryant who is expected to be promoted to the 53-man roster at some point in the latter stages of the season.
The Baltimore-based squad's aggressive participation in roster moves is only indicative of their commitment to go all-in on their Super Bowl aspirations in 2020.
Follow Us
Subscribe