Yannick Ngakoue To The Browns In Draft Day Trade?
Free agent pass rusher Yannick Ngakoue has made it crystal clear he wants to play for a different team in 2020. He's noted on twitter and in media appearances that this isn't a money issue with the Jacksonville Jaguars but rather an issue with how the team has handled him. Currently sitting on the franchise tag, he wants out and the Jaguars will likely be forced to accommodate him. The possibility has been raised that he could traded during the NFL Draft and one of the teams that has been mentioned is the Cleveland Browns.
The issue with Ngakoue is price. Just about every team would love to add Ngakoue to their roster, but not only do they have to pay him a long term deal, they also have to negotiate a trade with the Jaguars for his rights.
According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, "There will be people in the organization, like the owner, who will not want to move him, which means that they'll be firmer in their price. But if they don't trade him, they've got a mess on their hands." Schefter is also the person who mentioned the Browns as a possible destination, though this was conjecture as opposed to reporting.
That price is reportedly a first round pick plus additional assets. That would mean the Browns would give up the 10th pick in the draft and potentially more to add Ngakoue. And if the Browns didn't have such a gaping hope at left tackle and were a year further along in their progression, they might have already made this trade.
The Browns might love to add Ngakoue and he would be a phenomenal addition across from Myles Garrett on a defensive line that already has Sheldon Richardson and have recently added Adrian Clayborn and Andrew Billings to the defensive line. The move would likely come with the caveat of releasing Olivier Vernon.
In order for the Browns to trade for Ngakoue, they have to either be comfortable they can still get a left tackle they like in the draft, sign one of the remaining free agents or trade for Trent Williams, still with the Washington Redskins. There are a lot of dominoes that would have to fall in place for this to work. It's possible, but just doesn't seem likely in the Browns current situation. If somehow Ngakoue were to sign his franchise tender and this scenario were to present itself in 2021, this seems like a far more likely match, but for now, as tempting as it might be, it's difficult to see the Browns being the team that makes this move.
