JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The gloves have come off.
Yannick Ngakoue's frustration over the fact that the Jacksonville Jaguars have yet to trade him bubbled over Monday afternoon, and he went on a short social media rant in which he called the team owner's son a clown and urged the team to get "this s--- done."
The exchange between Ngakoue and Tony Khan, the son of owner Shad Khan and the team's senior vice president of football administration and technology, began with Ngakoue's tweet that said only: #FREEYANN. Moments later, Ngakoue told Tony Khan to stop hiding. After Khan responded, Ngakoue followed up with a claim that Tony Khan told him that the Jaguars' game against the Los Angeles Chargers on Dec. 8 was his last in a Jaguars uniform.
Ngakoue also said Tony Khan wasn't returning calls from his agent and ended the tweet with a clown emoji.
— Yannick Ngakoue (@YannickNgakoue) April 20, 2020
@TonyKhan stop hiding moe.
— Yannick Ngakoue (@YannickNgakoue) April 20, 2020
Since your feeling might today let's both let the world in on the truth. We been had a discussion that the chargers game was my last game. Yet you try to back door the situation without answering any of my camps calls. Smh you spoiled bra.. holding up people for no reason 🤡
— Yannick Ngakoue (@YannickNgakoue) April 20, 2020
Just trade me . I don't need the speech 🏁
— Yannick Ngakoue (@YannickNgakoue) April 20, 2020
Show me the compensation. I'm sure you're really driving up the price today btw.
— Tony Khan (@TonyKhan) April 20, 2020
Ngakoue's battle with the Jaguars began in July, when then-executive VP of football operations Tom Coughlin abruptly broke off negotiations with Ngakoue and his agent, Ari Nissim. The Jaguars reportedly offered Ngakoue a deal that would pay him $19 million annually, but Ngakoue turned it down, and he played last season -- after an 11-day training camp holdout -- for $2.025 million, a considerable bargain for a player who racked up 29.5 sacks in three seasons.
The Jaguars applied the non-exclusive franchise tag to Ngakoue on March 13, and he would earn $17.8 million in 2020. Ngakoue has yet to sign the tender, however, and has been urging the team on social media to trade him for the past several months.
Monday marked the most pointed and aggressive he has been. Hours later, Ngakoue posted again on Twitter, spinning it forward to his future franchise, perhaps as a sign to turn the page. "To my new future team whomever it may be. I can't wait to bring great discipline, integrity, and work ethic to that new city. Wherever I may land your going to get the hardest working defensive end in the league !," he wrote.
To my new future team whomever it may be. I can't wait to bring great discipline, integrity, and work ethic to that new city. Wherever I may land your going to get the hardest working defensive end in the league !🏁
— Yannick Ngakoue (@YannickNgakoue) April 20, 2020
A league source said the Jaguars are seeking at least a first-round pick for Ngakoue, and that although teams have called to talk about him, no team has submitted an offer for him.
Another potential holdup might be Ngakoue's demands for a long-term deal. He was seeking more than $20 million annually, especially after Trey Flowers ($18 million annually, $56 million guaranteed), Frank Clark ($21.1M/$63.5M) and DeMarcus Lawrence ($21M/$65M) got big deals in March and April 2019. The market has softened, however, and pass-rushers this year didn't cash in the way they did the previous year in free agency. Dante Fowler Jr. -- Ngakoue's former Jaguars teammate -- got a three-year deal with Atlanta that pays him $15 million annually. He had 11.5 sacks last season -- 3.5 more than Ngakoue. Robert Quinn's five year deal with Chicago pays him $14 million annually, and he has 80.5 sacks in nine seasons, including 11.5 last season in Dallas.
Jadeveon Clowney has 32 sacks in six seasons -- Ngakoue has 37.5 in four, which puts him second on the Jaguars' all-time list -- and is still unsigned after reportedly seeking a deal that would pay him $20 million annually. Clowney has lowered that asking price to between $17 million and $18 million, per an ESPN report.
Ngakoue had eight sacks in 15 games last season, and he had four forced fumbles. That gives him 14 in his career, which is more than that of all but three players from 2016 to '19: Chandler Jones (17), Khalil Mack (17) and T.J. Watt (15). In addition, Ngakoue has been directly responsible for five of the 12 defensive touchdowns the Jaguars have scored since 2016: a pick-six, a fumble return and three forced fumbles on sacks that other players recovered for TDs. He added another forced fumble that resulted in a touchdown in the playoffs.