Raiders make splash in free agency, expected to sign Yannick Ngakoue

By Mike Grimala (contact)

Monday, March 15, 2021 | 3:11 p.m.

NFL free agency began on Monday, and the Raiders fired one of the loudest shots by agreeing to terms with former Pro Bowl defensive end Yannick Ngakoue in a move that should add some much-needed explosiveness to the team’s tepid pass rush.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, it is a 2-year deal for $26 million.

Ngakoue split last season between the Minnesota Vikings and the Baltimore Ravens and finished with 8.0 sacks in 15 games. He spent his first four years prior to that with the Jacksonville Jaguars and averaged more than nine sacks per season. The Raiders were a rumored trade destination when Ngakoue was on the trade block prior to 2020 season, but he eventually ended up in Minnesota.

In his five-year career, Ngakoue has racked up 45.5 sacks and 96 quarterback hits. Over the last three years he has recorded 104 pressures.

Las Vegas desperately needed a difference-maker on the defensive line, as the Raiders finished 30^th out of 32 teams in sack rate last year, dropping quarterback on just 3.49 percent of pass plays. Second-year defensive end Maxx Crosby led Las Vegas with 7.0 sacks last year, and no one else on the roster managed more than 3.0 sacks.

Ngakoue is heading into his age-26 season and should have several prime years ahead of him. Though not regarded as a strong run defender, he has good advanced metrics as a pass rusher. Overall, ProFootballFocus grades him as the 30^th-best edge player in the league over the last two seasons.

The so-called “legal tampering period” opened on Monday, allowing teams to contact free agents and agree to terms. In addition to their deal with Ngakoue, the Raiders have reportedly been in contact with several veterans at a variety of positions.

One name that emerged over the weekend is offensive lineman Kyle Long, who is the son of Hall of Famer, Raiders great and Super Bowl XVIII champion Howie Long. A first-round pick in 2013, Kyle Long has played the entirety of his career with the Chicago Bears, earning Pro Bowl recognition in 2013, 2014 and 2015. The right guard retired and did not play in 2020, but is apparently considering a return and there is mutual interest with Las Vegas.

Acquiring an experienced interior lineman like Long could be a priority for the Las Vegas brain trust of general manager Mike Mayock and head coach Jon Gruden.

The Raiders have made several moves since the end of the 2020 season designed to create more cap space. They released starting guards Gabe Jackson and Richie Incognito and also cut wide receiver Tyrell Williams and defensive back Lamarcus Joyner. Right tackle Trent Brown, who was signed to the most expensive deal for an offensive lineman in NFL history in 2019, was traded to the New England Patriots along with a pick swap.

All told, those moves helped Las Vegas get their cap figure to roughly $151 million, according to Spotrac.com, which leaves the team with about $40 million in space under the 2021 cap (before the Ngakoue deal).

Mike Grimala can be reached at 702-948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Mike on Twitter at twitter.com/mikegrimala.