Jacksonville Jaguars pass rusher Yannick Ngakoue has been crystal clear: He wants to play elsewhere starting in 2020. But with two weeks until the NFL draft, it remains to be seen whether the team is even close to granting his not-so-subtle requests. CBS Sports' Pete Prisco said recently that Jaguars owner Shad Khan does not want to trade Ngakoue, and ESPN's Adam Schefter echoed that notion on Wednesday during an appearance on 97.5 The Fanatic.
"There will be people in the organization, like the owner, who will not want to move him," Schefter said, "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."
Ngakoue, of course, has been vocal in both video interviews and on social media ever since the Jags exercised their 2020 franchise tag on the 25-year-old defensive end, stating that he no longer intends to negotiate a long-term deal in Jacksonville and is convinced his "time is up" with the Jags.
"I still think the team (will) have to move him during the draft -- the week of the draft, during the draft," Schefter added. "These are usually deals that are made, often, while teams are on the clock."
CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora suggested recently that Ngakoue could easily net the long-term money he seeks -- something like $18 million per season -- outside of Jacksonville, so long as the Jaguars were "willing to make a smart football trade and just unload him for a late (second-round pick) and a three from a good team." Prisco, however, believes Khan and Co. would not sign off on that kind of compensation, with Schefter adding Wednesday that Jacksonville is looking for "a first-rounder, maybe then some."
NFL Network reported in late March that the Jags had begun fielding interest from other teams for a possible Ngakoue trade. As far as potential destinations, La Canfora reiterated this week that the Philadelphia Eagles are interested in the Pro Bowler, "but it'd have to be at their price." Schefter, meanwhile, said Wednesday he wouldn't classify the Eagles as the favorite among likely suitors -- a contingent that he speculated would include the Cleveland Browns, Las Vegas Raiders, New York Giants and Seattle Seahawks.
