Dec 15, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; New England Patriots linebacker Yannick Ngakoue (55) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Reports: Patriots releasing DE Yannick Ngakoue

The New England Patriots reportedly are waiving Yannick Ngakoue on Tuesday, giving the veteran pass rusher time to latch on with a playoff team.

The Patriots claimed the former Pro Bowl selection off waivers from the Baltimore Ravens on Nov. 8. The Cincinnati Bengals also put in a claim at that time, but New England had priority with a worse record.

Ngakoue, 29, had nine tackles and two quarterback hits in six games with the Patriots. He had 1.5 sacks and four QB hits in five games with the Ravens this season.

A third-round pick by Jacksonville in 2016, Ngakoue has recorded 70.5 sacks, 238 tackles, 148 QB hits, 21 forced fumbles and two interceptions in 134 games with the Jaguars (2016-19), Minnesota Vikings (2020), Ravens (2020, 2024), Las Vegas Raiders (2021), Indianapolis Colts (2022), Chicago Bears (2023) and Patriots.

–Field Level Media

Oct 22, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA;  Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Brian Hoyer (7) gets off a pass while being pressured by Chicago Bears defensive lineman Yannick Ngakoue (91) in the second quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports

Bears DE Yannick Ngakoue (ankle) out for season

Chicago Bears defensive end Yannick Ngakoue will miss the remainder of the season with a broken ankle, coach Matt Eberflus announced Wednesday.

Per Eberflus, Ngakoue will be placed on injured reserve and will require surgery. He sustained the injury during the late stages of Chicago’s 28-13 victory over the Detroit Lions on Sunday.

Ngakoue, 28, recorded 22 tackles and four sacks in 13 games (all starts) this season after signing a one-year, $10.5 million deal in August.

A Pro Bowl selection in 2017, Ngakoue has totaled 224 tackles, 69.0 sacks, 21 forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries in 123 career games (115 starts) with the Jacksonville Jaguars (2016-19), Minnesota Vikings (2020), Baltimore Ravens (2020), Las Vegas Raiders (2021), Indianapolis Colts (2022) and Bears.

–Field Level Media

Sep 25, 2022; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts defensive end Yannick Ngakoue (91) celebrates sacking Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (not pictured) during the second quarter at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports

Reports: Bears, DE Yannick Ngakoue agree to 1-year deal

The Chicago Bears are signing free agent defensive end Yannick Ngakoue to a one-year deal worth $10.5 million, ESPN and NFL Network reported Thursday night.

The agreement includes $10 million in guaranteed money, per ESPN.

Ngakoue, 28, is a one-time Pro Bowl selection but entered the 2023 preseason without an NFL team after the Indianapolis Colts chose not to re-sign him in the spring.

Ngakoue started all 15 games he played for Indianapolis in 2022 and recorded 9.5 sacks and a forced fumble before finishing the season on injured reserve with a throat injury.

The Bears will be the sixth team Ngakoue plays for — and the fifth since 2020 alone — but the pass-rushing specialist has never finished an NFL season with fewer than eight sacks.

A 2016 third-round draft pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars, he had 12 sacks and an NFL-high six forced fumbles in his second NFL campaign and was chosen for the Pro Bowl. After requesting the Jaguars trade him in 2020, he was sent to the Minnesota Vikings — who in turn dealt him to the Baltimore Ravens during the 2020 season.

In his seven-year career with the Jaguars (2016-19), Vikings (2020), Ravens (2020), Las Vegas Raiders (2021) and Colts (2022), Ngakoue has amassed 65 sacks, 202 tackles (163 solo), 21 forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and two interceptions across 110 games (102 starts).

–Field Level Media

Oct 2, 2022; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA;  Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17) narrowly misses being sacked by Indianapolis Colts defensive end Yannick Ngakoue (91) during the first quarter at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports

Colts place DE Yannick Ngakoue on injured reserve

The Indianapolis Colts placed defensive end Yannick Ngakoue on injured reserve among several roster moves on Saturday.

Ngakoue was hit in the throat during Monday’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers. He began to feel discomfort in his throat on Friday and elected to seek a medical procedure after consulting the team’s doctor.

Ngakoue, 27, recorded 9.5 sacks to go along with 29 tackles and a forced fumble in 15 games (all starts) this season.

A Pro Bowl selection in 2017, Ngakoue has totaled 65 sacks to go along with 202 tackles, 21 forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and two interceptions in 110 career games (102 starts) with the Jacksonville Jaguars (2016-19), Baltimore Ravens (2020), Minnesota Vikings (2020), Las Vegas Raiders (2021) and Colts.

Also on Saturday, the Colts (4-10-1) promoted defensive end Kameron Cline, wide receiver Keke Coutee and linebacker Segun Olubi from the practice squad to the 53-man roster for Sunday’s road game against the New York Giants (8-6-1).

–Field Level Media

Dec 29, 2019; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Yannick Ngakoue (91) reacts during the third quarter against the Indianapolis Colts at TIAA Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports

Ravens acquire DE Ngakoue from Vikings for draft picks

The Ravens and Minnesota Vikings finalized a trade Thursday that sent defensive end Yannick Ngakoue to Baltimore in exchange for two draft picks, the teams announced.

The Vikings will receive a third-round pick in 2021 and a conditional fifth-round selection in 2022, multiple media outlets reported. The deal comes under two months removed from Minnesota acquiring Ngakoue from Jacksonville. The Vikings nearly recoup what they gave up for Ngakoue on Aug. 30 – a second-round pick in 2021 and a conditional fifth-round pick in 2022.

Ngakoue will travel to Baltimore in the next 24 hours to begin his COVID-19 testing and protocols to be ready for the Ravens’ Week 8 game against Pittsburgh, according to ESPN. The Ravens (5-1) are on a bye this week.

“We are excited to add Yannick Ngakoue to our football team,” Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said in a statement. “Yannick is someone who we are very familiar with going back to the draft process years ago. He is an exciting player and a dangerous pass rusher who makes us better. Yannick grew up here. He’s the type of person we welcome in our building. Finally, we are not finished building this team, as we continue to chase our ultimate goals.”

The Ravens have tried to acquire Ngakoue multiple times in recent months, per the report. Ngakoue grew up in Bowie, Md., and played at Maryland.

Ngakoue started five of the six games he played in Minnesota this season, recording five sacks, 12 tackles and two forced fumbles. However, the Vikings sit in last place in the NFC North at 1-5.

Ngakoue has 42.5 sacks for his career, 12 coming in 2017 when he made the Pro Bowl for the Jaguars. Ngakoue had 37.5 sacks, 14 forced fumbles and two interceptions in 63 games with the Jaguars.

The Jaguars selected Ngakoue in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft.

The trade reunites Ngakoue with Ravens defensive end Calais Campbell; both started the AFC Championship Game for the Jaguars in 2017.

Ngakoue held out over the summer as he sought a contract extension in the range of $20 million a year. He agreed to a one-year, $12 million deal with the Vikings to complete the trade in August.

–Field Level Media