No, Las Vegas Raiders Yannick Ngakoue is not worst NFL free agent signing
By Brad Weiss
Yannick Ngakoue was a monster signing for the Las Vegas Raiders, but one media outlet feels it was the worst in the entire NFL this offseason.
Needing to bolster the edge rusher spot this offseason, the Las Vegas Raiders had their eyes set on pending free agent, Yannick Ngakoue. In fact, Ngakoue was a player that had been rumored to the Raiders even last season, and back in March, the move for the defensive end became official.
Last season, the Silver and Black were able to get after the quarterback only 21 times, an embarrassing mark by any standard. With Ngakoue in the fold, that number is certainly going to go up, as he is also going to free up Maxx Crosby, who had seven sacks during the 2020 NFL season.
Recently, CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora released a piece with several superlatives, including Most Valuable Player, Coach of the Year, and best free agency signing. Also, he named the worst free-agent signing in the NFL, an honor he placed on the Raiders with their signing of Ngakoue.
While the Raiders have never been the darlings of the national media, this take seems a bit far-fetched.
Raiders will flourish with Ngakoue on the edge
With a new defensive coordinator on board in Gus Bradley and a bunch of new faces on the defensive side of the ball, the defense has to be better in 2020. Had it not been for their shoddy play last season, the Raiders likely would have been a playoff team, as the offense was one of the best in the NFL.
In Ngakoue, the Raiders get not only a partner for Crosby, but they bolster a group that also includes Malcolm Koonce, Carl Nassib, and of course, Clelin Ferrell. Ferrell did a nice job in Year 2 this past season, and now that the Raiders have added Ngakoue, he should continue to see his development move in the right direction.
Looking at the defense, it is going to be much better than it was a year before, and if they take a big step forward, Ngakoue is going to be a big reason why. This is a guy who fills a major void on this roster, and despite was La Canfora says, this is going to be an outstanding signing for the Silver and Black.