ESPN's NFL insider, Adam Schefter, joined 97.5 the Fanatic in Philadelphia on Wednesday to talk about Yannick Ngakoue, among other things.
He discussed whether or not the Jaguars will trade Ngakoue, what type of compensation they're looking for, and even asserted that Shad Khan doesn't want to move on from Ngakoue. "I still think the team; the Jaguars have to move him during the draft. You know, the week of the draft, during the draft, my guess is these are usually deals that are made often while teams are on the clock. They're going to want back significant compensation for him. It remains to be seen how much they actually will get back. There will be people in that organization, like the owner, who will not want to move him, which means that they'll be firmer on their price. But if they don't trade him, then they've got a mess on their hands. And I believe the guy, the player, when he said that he doesn't plan to play for them again. I believe he will continue to sit, so that's not good for anybody. I think that the right thing for them to do logistically is to move on from him. And so they're gonna want a first-round pick, maybe then some for him. I don't know whether they'll get a first-round pick for him or not, we'll see how it shakes out. It could be swapping draft spots; it could be swapping picks; it could be any combination of factors that get a deal done. Now, in the end I would guess that they do trade him. I think they have to. I think that's the best thing for everybody involved. I don't think they want that headache on their hands, and I think the owner will see that eventually." Schefter also offered his take on which teams are the front runners to land him. He said the Giants, Browns, Raiders, and Seahawks are the clubs he would think have the inside track, while the Eagles may be on the outside looking in. If Schefter is correct, and Shad Khan doesn't want to trade Ngakoue, then this situation will likely play out similarly to the Jalen Ramsey debacle did less than a year ago. The circumstances looked dire for the Jaguars, but then the Rams came to the rescue, offering two first-round picks and a fourth-rounder for the Jaguars' disgruntled star. While fans and media clamored for the Jaguars to make a trade, Khan and company remained steadfast in the compensation they were looking for. Leaking the information that Shad Khan doesn't want to move Ngakoue, is a bargaining chip as much as anything. It shows teams around the league that the Jaguars are ready to play hardball. Jacksonville may not get a first-round pick, but they're going to milk this situation for all it's worth, and will end up getting the most compensation that they possibly can. They only need one team to go all-in on Ngakoue, which seems possible, if not likely. Follow Jordan on Twitter for all the latest Jaguars news and analysis. |
