For the Minnesota Vikings, short term, this is a great move. You get a stud DE that’s 25 just like his new teammate on the opposite side of the ball. You can never have enough pass rushers especially in this passing league.
In Minnesota, the defensive line of the Vikings has always been a big identity factor in their defensive success. From the Purple People Eaters, Chris Doleman, John Randle, Kevin Williams, Pat Williams, Jared Allen, Brian Robison, Everson Griffen, Danielle Hunter, and now Yannick Ngakoue, the Minnesota Vikings will continue to have a dominant Defensive Line.
Yannick wanting out of Jacksonville is a major understatement as he agreed to take only 12 million from Minnesota instead of the 17.7 million that Jacksonville tagged him for. With the new opportunity in Minnesota, Ngakoue will be motivated to have his best year yet. For 2020, this is a great move for the Minnesota Vikings. The biggest win for the Vikings is that they get to keep their first round pick in 2021.
How this impacts the Vikings long-term.
Ngakoue is only 25 and just beginning to enter his prime. Currently, the Vikings are in a salary cap hell which is troublesome if you’re trying to keep some of your long-term guys. Dalvin Cook and Anthony Harris are the most notable due of contract extensions coming up. With Cook being the focal point of the offense, I can see Anthony Harris playing football elsewhere next fall. The obvious intention is to keep Ngakoue past 2020.
However, time will tell on how his time in MIN will last.
The Jacksonville Jaguars initially wanted a first round pick and more for Ngakoue towards the beginning of the 2020 NFL Draft.
They may have gotten a first but not much more than that. They attempted to convince that Ngakoue will be the face of the Jaguars however that still wasn’t a part of Ngakoue’s plans. After they knew that he still wouldn’t play for them, the Jaguars knew they had to cut ties and get anything they could have gotten for him.
A second and a fifth which could be as high as a third is better than a compensatory draft pick which is no higher than a third if he walked out on his own, however Jacksonville dropped the ball on this specific trade as they probably could have gotten a first in the 2020 NFL draft if they didn’t have such high demands.
Overall, this trade reminds me a little bit of Jared Allen from 2008. You trade for a player that was unhappy with his previous situation and it paid off long term in Minnesota, where Allen became a icon. However, the bigger difference here is that back then they gave up a 1, and two 3’s. Here they only give up a 2 and a conditional 5. I’d give the Vikings an A- on the trade. The Jaguars right now are at a C- on this deal.