Minutes after agreeing to terms with Chandler Jones, the Raiders are clearing out a starting spot and a salary slot for the All-Pro pass rusher. They are expected to trade Yannick Ngakoue to the Colts, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
Cornerback Rock Ya-Sin is coming back in the deal. The Raiders and Colts have been working on this swap for the past day or so, Rapoport adds (on Twitter). Las Vegas, understandably, did not pull the trigger on a deal until its Jones agreement came through. No draft picks are changing hands; this is a player-for-player swap. This trade will cost the Raiders $8MM in dead money.
The Colts will be Ngakoue’s fifth team in the past three seasons. The former Jaguars standout made his way to the Vikings, Ravens and Raiders from 2020-21, being dealt late in the summer of 2020 and then being moved before that season’s deadline. After signing with Las Vegas, Ngakoue is being traded for a third time. Ngakoue, who will turn 27 later this month, registered 10 sacks last season. The former third-round pick has 20 forced fumbles over the course of his six-year career.
This will give the Colts a veteran edge presence they lacked last season and provide DeForest Buckner with a proven outside sack artist. The Colts used first- and second-round picks on defensive ends in the 2021 draft — Kwity Paye and Dayo Odeyingbo — and will now spend some cash on the position. After the Carson Wentz trade, Indianapolis entered free agency with its usual cap-space war chest. Ngakoue is signed through the 2022 season, on a $13MM-per-year accord.
While this trade will reunite Ngakoue with Gus Bradley, the Jaguars’ head coach when Ngakoue was drafted and the Raiders’ DC when he arrived in Vegas last year, it will send Ya-Sin to a Raiders team in need at cornerback. After a bounce-back year with Bradley, Casey Hayward is a free agent. A 2019 second-round pick, Ya-Sin will come to Vegas with one year remaining on his rookie contract.
Ya-Sin started 29 games with the Colts. While the Temple product has not played at a Pro Bowl level and only has two interceptions as a pro, the Raiders will shed salary here and land a player with considerable experience. After an up-and-down start to his career, Ya-Sin finished the 2021 season with a career-best 53% completion rate allowed when targeted. Pro Football Focus assigned Ya-Sin the fifth-best man-coverage grade last season.
That headline is a tongue twister
Rock Ya-Sin is a badass name.
Too bad he isn’t badass.
He was a state wrestling champion.
He’s actually fairly decent starting corner. Yannick is only good is situational pass rush. Also he’s been on several teams over recent years and can’t stick with a team.
Ngakoue joining the same coach in a third organization before turning 27 is weirdly impressive.
Does Ngakoue fart a lot in locker rooms or something? For a player of his talent that’s an insane amount of movement already in his career.
Like this move for the Colts but obviously the biggest issue is finding a QB.
I Wouldn’t get a Brissett/Newton/Fitzmagic/Mariota/Winston/Dalton in FA cause they are all just crap. Dalton is the best of the lot but he’s not good.
You don’t have a first round pick this year so it’s not like your going to draft one.
Which really leaves you trading for one.
Gardner Minshew would be a good cheap option.
Jimmy G could be a good option but nothing special.
Otherwise it’s going to take a big deal to get in a Derek Carr or Deshaun Watson. Wouldn’t even bother with Baker.
Id say grab Minshew. Have Jimmy G as your second option and kick the tyres on Carr and see what they are asking for he could be a great fit if not to expensive.
Is agree on minshew. Seems like he would fit their lockeroom and get guys behind him more than wentz did. Thoughts on ehllinger? I like him, but man it’s tisk to start him without anyone proven behind him, but at that point why isn’t that guy starting unless it’s one of theirs FA nobody wants to touch. I kinda hope saints get Watson, maybe Winston is an idea then?
Update^ I see Winston was on your list of bad FAs but if I had to take one it’s easily him.
Giants desperately need some pass rushers why are the Giants not trying. The Super Bowls they won were built on a great defense
The Raiders aren’t likely to move Carr so I’d say that Jimmy G would be my next target. Minshew is a gamer but he’s not a guy I want trying to get my team into the playoffs. He’s better suited as a backup in the NFL.
QBs are available after the 1st rd
Bad ones
Winston has more upside than any of the quarterbacks available. Maybe the quarterback whisperer can get it out of him.
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix!
I don’t get this move. Ya-Sin is a starting corner in the NFL, on his rookie deal, and is young with the potential to possibly improve. Ngakoue is a talented pass rusher who cannot defend the run and is on a much more expensive contract, and though not old, is older than Ya-Sin.
Now the Colts need to draft another CB, despite using a pick on Ya-Sin recently. I really do not get this move for the Colts at all.