In a move that many expected, the Jacksonville Jaguars officially placed their non-exclusive franchise tag on defensive end Yannick Ngakoue.
To clarify, the non-exclusive franchise tag is the one teams most often use. What it means is other teams can still negotiate with Ngakoue, but the Jaguars will have the chance to match any offers. If they elect not to match, Ngakoue's new team would need to send two first-round picks to the Jags in exchange.
Ngakoue wants out of Jacksonville, and what this franchise tag does is give the Jags a chance to trade him, rather than simply letting him hit the free agent market. And it's likely he will have plenty of suitors.
At just 24 (25 when the season is supposed to begin), Ngakoue may just be the best young pass-rusher in the NFL. He's totaled 37.5 sacks over his four NFL seasons, never having less than 8.0 sacks in any year.
Earlier this offseason, SNY's Ralph Vacchiano explained what it might cost for a team like the Giants to acquire the talented pass-rusher, comparing it to when the Seahawks traded Frank Clark to the Chiefs for a first, a second, and a swap of third-round picks across two different drafts.
Vacchiano also noted that if Ngakoue would have hit the open market, his per-year value would have come close to the $23.5 million the Bears pay per season to Kahlil Mack.