Despite salary cap issues and holes throughout the roster, the Jacksonville Jaguars are optimistic they'll be able to re-sign pending free agent Yannick Ngakoue.
"It's a deal that we feel like could take a little bit of time but should be done hopefully relatively easily," general manager David Caldwell told John Oehser of Jaguars.com.
Ngakoue is on track to hit the open market in March on the heels of his fourth straight season with at least eight sacks. The 24-year-old is expected to command a sizable new contract, and will be one of the top pass-rushers available.
Ngakoue tried unsuccessfully to secure a long-term extension last offseason, holding out through the early portion of training camp before joining the team. He appeared to respond to Caldwell's comments with a cryptic tweet:
Don’t believe everything you hear.
— Yannick Ngakoue (@YannickNgakoue) January 22, 2020
The Jaguars enter the offseason with concerns at several positions and uncertainty at quarterback following a 6-10 campaign. Jacksonville is projected to be nearly $2 million over the cap in 2020, though it could create room by releasing veterans or restructuring contracts.
