The Vikings acquired Yannick Ngakoue via trade, but not before the defensive end went through a tumultuous time in Jacksonville.
Earlier this offseason, Ngakoue said on Twitter that he wanted to be traded from the Jaguars. The team then franchise tagged him. The saga with Jacksonville came to an end when the Vikings gave up a second- and conditional fifth-round pick that could go as high as a third-round pick, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported.
Ngakoue has since talked with reporters after the trade. He said he wanted a “fresh start” after not being able to work out a long-term deal with Jacksonville, per ESPN’s Courtney Cronin. He also said that the trade was a breath of fresh air, according to The Athletic’s Chad Graff.
“I kind of felt a little disheartened about it. But at the end of the day, it’s business,” Ngakoue said, via ESPN. I’m still thankful and appreciative they gave me an opportunity to have my dream for four years. It’s always going to be love for Jacksonville but (my family and I) felt like it was best for me to be able to move forward to a new place, new organization and just get a fresh start.”
Ngakoue can slot into the defensive end spot opposite Danielle Hunter right away, assuming Hunter is ready to go.
