JAGUARS OFFICIALLY PLACE FRANCHISE TAG ON YANNICK NGAKOUE — NOW WHAT?

Yannick Ngakoue (Zach Bollinger/Icon Sportswire)

The Jaguars used their franchise tag on Yannick Ngakoue. What happens next?

BY JORDAN DE LUGO

---

The Jaguars have officially placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on star pass-rusher Yannick Ngakoue. 

Now what?

There are several ways in which this situation can proceed. 

Yannick Ngakoue made it clear earlier this offseason that he had no intention of signing a long-term contract with the Jaguars. The truth or a bargaining strategy? The answer is not yet clear.

But what we do know is that Yannick Ngakoe can cooperate by signing the franchise tender and committing to play for the Jaguars in 2020 OR continue on his current course and request a trade OR he can sign the tender and continue negotiating with other clubs. The problem with the last option is that another club is HIGHLY UNLIKELY ever to sign a player that is under the franchise tag. Why? They'd have to pay that player AND give up incredibly valuable draft picks, two first-rounders to be exact. If another team did make Yannick an offer, the Jaguars would have the right to match the offer sheet or let him walk in exchange for the two first-round picks. 

If the former comes to fruition, the Jaguars will pay Yannick Ngakoue $19.3 million in 2020. That would be more than four times his current career earnings of just over $4.6 million.

904 Snapback

$30.00

Shop

Either way, both sides are in a good place. Yannick Ngkaoue is going to get paid an exorbitant amount of money in 2020 (and likely beyond), whether that be in Jacksonville or elsewhere.

The Jaguars have it made too. They'll retain their sack master in 2020 (potentially long-term), or they'll receive compensation from another team in the form of draft capital. If trading Ngakoue is the goal, the Jaguars would be wise to get that done sooner than later. If the trade goes down before the draft on Aprile 23rd, they could likely acquire picks in this year's draft, picks that could potentially help Dave Caldwell and Doug Marrone keep their jobs. 

The only way in which both parties would lose is if Yannick Ngakoue refuses to sign the franchise tag, and then the Jaguars refuse to negotiate a trade. That scenario would see Yannick Ngakoue sit out in 2020, and the Jaguars would have to wait another year to either franchise tag him again or trade him. This scenario doesn't make any sense for either side, and I'm confident it won't come to that. 

Follow Jordan de Lugo on Twitter for all the latest Jaguars news and analysis. ​