Jaguars defensive end Yannick Ngakoue has new representation, Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal reports he’s brought aboard Roc Nation and Ari Nissim as his new agents. Ngakoue had previously employed agent Adisa Bakari.
Ngakoue just wrapped his second NFL campaign, and given league rules stipulate no player can sign a contract extension until after his third pro season, Ngakoue isn’t allowed to receive a new deal until 2019 at the earliest. Because he wasn’t a first-round pick, Ngakoue doesn’t have a fifth-year option attached to his pact, so he’ll base salaries of $735K and $834K over the next two years before hitting free agency.
Those figures are undeniable bargains for Ngakoue, who turned 23 years old earlier this year. The former third-rounder has been exceptional through two seasons in Jacksonville, as he’s posted 20 sacks since 2016, good for 12th in the NFL during that time. While Ngakoue isn’t much of a run defender, his pass-rush prowess enabled him to grade 23rd among all edge defenders a season ago, per Pro Football Focus.