The Vikings lost defensive end Everson Griffen in free agency after he voided his contract with the team and signed with the Cowboys later in the offseason.
That left a hole at the defensive end spot opposite Danielle Hunter. Now, that hole can presumably be filled by a Pro Bowler, according to a report.
Jacksonville has agreed to trade defensive end Yannick Ngakoue to Minnesota in exchange for a second- and conditional fifth-round pick that could go as high as a third-round pick, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported.
“Ngakoue still has to sign his tender, but trade is in place and Ngakoue is expected to be a Viking,” Schefter said on Twitter.
Before this, Griffen’s old starting spot was likely going to be filled by players such as Ifeadi Odenigbo and Jalyn Holmes. Ngakoue, however, is a more solidified starter than both of those two.
Ngakoue is coming off a 2019 season where he had eight sacks. He’s never had less than eight sacks in four NFL seasons so far. He made the Pro Bowl in 2017 when he had 12 sacks and 23 QB hits that season.