The Baltimore Ravens are reportedly trading for Minnesota Vikings defensive end Yannick Ngakoue, according the ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The Ravens will send a 2021 third-round pick and a 2022 conditional fifth-round pick to the Vikings in acquiring Ngakoue.
Vikings and Ravens finalizing a trade to send DE Yannick Ngakoue to Baltimore for a 2021 third-round pick and a 2022 conditional fifth-round pick, sources tell ESPN.
Vikings initially sent 2021 second-round pick and 2022 conditional fifth-round pick to Jags. Now get most back.— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 22, 2020
Minnesota had just sent a 2021 second-round pick and a 2022 conditional fifth-round pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars in a trade for Ngakoue this offseason, but are clearly trying to recoup their losses and sell high after their 1-5 start.
The Ravens will now pair Ngakoue alongside his former Jaguars teammate in star defensive end Calais Campbell, who they also added in a trade this offseason.
Ngakoue arrives in Baltimore to even more firepower to a defense that is already one of the best in the league. The Ravens are second in the league in scoring defense (17.3 points per game), second in takeaways (11) and second in sacks (22), trailing only the Pittsburgh Steelers in all three categories.
Selected in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft out of Maryland by the Jaguars, Ngakoue has become one of the league’s most fearsome pass rushers in a short amount of time. The one-time Pro Bowler has 42.5 career sacks, 16 forced fumbles and 47 tackles-for-loss. He also has two career interceptions.
According to Schefter, the Ravens have attempted to trade for Ngakoue multiple times and he had been positioning himself to land in Baltimore ever since thing went sour in Jacksonville. Having grown up in Bowie, Maryland, he is finally home at his desired destination after a short layover in Minneapolis.
Schefter also reports that Ngokoue will arrive in Baltimore sometime over the next 24 hours to undergo COVID-19 testing with the Ravens on their bye. If all is well on the virus front, Ngakoue will be in line to make his Ravens debut in a massive Week 8 matchup against Pittsburgh.
Baltimore has attempted to acquire Yannick Ngakoue multiple times in recent months; Ngakoue hoped to land in Baltimore all along. He grew up in Bowie, Md., starred at Maryland, then was drafted by Jacksonville. Baltimore is his third team in three months, but what he wanted. https://t.co/B3NQfDaRqG
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 22, 2020