The Jacksonville Jaguars have a potential problem brewing as one of their best players in defensive end Yannick Ngakoue is not at voluntary workouts. And although it’s really not a big deal, for now, it’s something that could drag out into the voluntary stages when time on the field really counts.
In looking back at how the Jags got to this point in terms of their salary cap, one particular mistake appears to be hurting them and that’s the extension of Blake Bortles, who the Jags signed to a three-year extension in 2018 worth a total of $54 million (with $26.5 million guaranteed). With the young quarterback playing through just one year of that deal, the organization has now found themselves dealing with a $16.5 million dead cap hit in 2019 despite Bortles no longer being on the team. Simply put, that’s money the Jags could’ve easily paid Ngakoue with, or maybe even linebacker Myles Jack, who also is on the last year of his rookie deal.
Earlier in the year, Jags front office leaders Tom Coughlin and Dave Caldwell said they didn’t regret signing Bortles to an extension last season, which was expected. However, it was clear (even then) that they should’ve waited being that he didn’t have the consistency one would like to see out of a high-priced investment. That said, if they truly were comfortable with the decision they made with the young quarterback then, they definitely could have second thoughts about it if Ngakoue, who is a big part of their defensive success, has a lengthy holdout during the voluntary stages.
The good news is that a deal still looks to be possible in the coming months, however, a majority of the Jags’ available $13.7 million in cap space will have to go towards their rookie pool. That means they’ll have to pull off some cap gymnastics, but it could be much easier if Bortles wasn’t on their payroll still.
