Why Yannick Ngakoue Makes Sense for the Vikings

The Vikings spent a 2021 2nd spherical decide to accumulate DE Yannick Ngakoue, together with a 2022 conditional fifth spherical decide, which may develop into a 4th rounder if Ngakoue makes the Professional Bowl this 12 months, and a third rounder if the Vikings additionally win the Tremendous Bowl. The Vikings won’t be able to increase Ngakoue till subsequent low season, as that’s the rule when a participant doesn’t signal their franchise tender earlier than July 15, as was the case with Ngakoue. This season it was reported that Ngakoue took a $5 million wage lower to affix the Vikings, counting about $13 million on the Vikings’ books this season. His franchise tender would’ve paid him practically $18 million.

Whereas it could be laborious on the Vikings wage cap pocketbook, the commerce for Yannick Ngakoue (Yah-NEEK In-GACK-way) does make sense for the Vikings in quite a lot of methods, some that will not be instantly obvious.

Let’s take a better look.

He’s Younger and Can Make Quick Influence

Ngakoue is 25, 5 months youthful than Danielle Hunter, drafted one 12 months later, and coming into his fifth 12 months. He’s had comparable productiveness as Hunter in relation to disruptive performs:

Ngakoue additionally had a pass-rush win price of 21% as an edge rusher final season, per NFL Subsequent Gen Stats, which ranked greater than Griffen (17%) and Hunter (15%).

Already having achieved this stage of productiveness, and simply coming into his prime, it is smart to determine Ngakoue can have a direct impression for the Vikings at right-end, a place he’s performed roughly half of his snaps lately.

Assuming the Vikings can work out an extension take care of Ngakoue subsequent 12 months, which probably would’ve been mentioned within the commerce negotiations, the Vikings may safe Ngakoue’s providers all through his prime, concurrent with Hunter’s. That offers the Vikings a pair of confirmed, high-end edge rushers for the subsequent a number of years – checking off an essential field in sustaining a aggressive roster.

Having two top-notch edge rushers additionally makes it tougher for opposing defenses to close them down. When you have just one top-notch edge rusher, and the opposite is common, offenses will use a chipper to sluggish the top-notch man, and take their probabilities with the common man. That’s an typically profitable technique that mutes the top-notch guys’ productiveness and that of the defensive position as an entire.

He’s Good and Nonetheless Creating

Ngakoue brings a fairly nicely developed software equipment in relation to dashing the passer. NFL Draft Community did a profile on Ngakoue as a possible free agent/commerce alternative earlier this 12 months, and had this to say about his move dashing software equipment:

Ngakoue, at 6-foot-2 and 252 kilos, pairs short-area explosiveness with pure leverage to threaten move protectors along with his slew of rush counters. He has many instruments in his toolbox to make for a troublesome project in one-on-one move safety. Ngakoue has the power to play in a wide-nine alignment and pace rush previous tackles or concurrently convert that pace to energy if he senses his blocker has overset or is bailing out to compensate for the pace.

Tack on some savvy rush counters: His finest one is his cross chop however Ngakoue additionally packs an efficient membership and the wanted physique management to decrease his floor space and slip previous punches with finesse as nicely.

Translation: He can beat you with pace, energy, finesse and approach.

At 6’2” with 32.5” arms, he doesn’t have prototypical edge-rusher size, however he has developed a whole lot of methods to beat opposing tackles – as evidenced by his manufacturing.

However Ngakoue isn’t as developed as a run defender and tackler – comparable in that respect to Griffen with whom he shares comparable measurables. Griffen had good and not-so-good years in these areas throughout his profession with the Vikings.

So now he’ll have the chance to work with Andre Patterson, probably the greatest within the enterprise, who will help him enhance his recreation in different methods past simply his move rush.

Additionally, if the Vikings don’t go together with a 4-Three Underneath Entrance, Ngakoue may benefit from taking part in roughly solely on the precise aspect, quite than switching forwards and backwards in an Underneath Entrance relying on the energy of the offensive formation. That would doubtlessly result in extra productiveness. We’ll see.

Don’t Overlook In regards to the Capers Connection

Vikings new defensive advisor Dom Capers spent final 12 months in the identical capability with the Jaguars, who ran a 4-Three Underneath Entrance. I’ve speculated in regards to the Vikings putting in that entrance, though with the shortened low season I don’t see that on the rapid horizon. We’ll see.

However the different factor that Ngakoue does nicely (albeit on restricted snaps) is protection. That’s essential as a result of one of many most important focuses of a Capers protection up-front are fire-zone blitzes, the place the defensive entrance slants/twists/stunts indirectly to open up a lane for a blitzing linebacker or defensive again. Generally that includes a defensive finish shifting again right into a linebacker drop zone to cowl. Ngakoue can try this.

So, as an alternative of getting Ngakoue (or Hunter) dashing off the sting, out of the blue there’s a niche inside crammed by a blitzing Anthony Barr, for instance. One of many tackles is left with nothing to do, and out of place to dam a blitzing linebacker by an inside hole.

Dom Capers would have been in good place to offer an in depth analysis of Ngakoue over the previous 12 months and move that alongside to Zimmer and Patterson.

He’s a Workhorse

Ngakoue’s work ethic and depth have at all times been among the many most revered in Jacksonville’s locker room. – Mark Lengthy, Orlando Sentinel

Ngakoue has additionally been a workhorse since he’s entered the league. He’s solely missed two video games in 4 seasons, so he’s confirmed fairly sturdy. He’s additionally averaged about 800 snaps a season, so he’s proven the stamina and conditioning to tackle a reasonably heavy workload as an edge rusher – just like Hunter and Griffen in that respect.

I think about he’ll proceed to get roughly the identical variety of snaps in Minnesota, with primarily Ifeadi Odenigbo spelling him.

In line with Mark Lengthy, who covers the Jaguars for the Orlando Sentinel, Ngakoue can also be nicely revered within the Jags locker room for his work ethic and depth. Undoubtedly these qualities will match proper in with the Vikings defensive position group, and his counterpart Danielle Hunter, who reveals those self same qualities himself.

Backside Line

The acquisition of Yannick Ngakoue offers the Vikings a direct improve on the key edge rusher place, and elevates the Vikings to most likely the most effective edge-rusher tandem within the league. That groups up nicely with having the most effective security duo within the league, and one of many higher linebacker duos within the league. With some promising cornerbacks arising this 12 months, out of the blue the Vikings protection is wanting quite formidable. And when Michael Pierce joins the group subsequent 12 months, it appears even higher.

I suppose we should always imagine Mike Zimmer when he stated he’s by no means had a nasty protection and isn’t planning on having one this 12 months both.

However the important thing to this deal shall be to safe an inexpensive deal to increase Ngakoue by his prime. I’d think about the define of that type of extension has been mentioned between the Vikings and Ngakoue, despite the fact that nothing may be signed till subsequent low season. Within the meantime, Ngakoue appears to be roughly a $13 million wage cap hit this 12 months – which implies the Vikings have emptied their wage cap pockets, and might want to begin seeking to release some house going ahead.

Riley Reiff has regularly been thought-about the first goal for wage cap aid for the Vikings, as he has a $13.2 wage cap hit this 12 months, with not a lot useless cap. Maybe with that in thoughts, the Vikings had Brian O’Neill at left deal with in observe immediately for the primary time, and Oli Udoh beginning at proper deal with.

Keep tuned.

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Did the Vikings do the precise factor in allocating their draft capital and wage cap house to accumulate Yannick Ngakoue?

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