Jaguars GM Dave Caldwell refutes ‘erroneous’ report, nothing imminent for Ngakoue

The Jacksonville Jaguars are not trading Yannick Ngakoue - not anytime soon at least, according to Jaguars general manager Dave Caldwell who spoke to national reporters Charles Davis and Alex Marvez on SiriusXM NFL Radio earlier today.

Yesterday, a report from The Athletic’s Michael Lombardi stated that the Jaguars and Yannick Ngakoue were nearing a breakup, Ngakoue would be traded from the team was “extremely close” to trading the franchise-tagged defensive end.

“Well, the unsubstantiated report really kind of caught me off guard too,” Caldwell said on SiriusXM. “So, I don’t know where it came from or who it came from. But, if he’s being traded, I wish somebody would let me know. So, obviously, we’ve had discussions with teams, but as of one o’clock today, that report was pretty erroneous.”

Caldwell also refuted another report from Lombardi indicating that the Jets were a team in the hunt for Ngakoue.

“I don’t know the person that tweeted that,” Caldwell said in reference to Lombardi. “But, obviously he didn’t pay very close attention to detail. You know, obviously we’re working with the player and his agents, his new agents and trying to come to a good resolution for everybody.”

Since the Jaguars placed the franchise tag, worth ~$17.8M on Ngakoue earlier this offseason, the defensive end has indicated on several occasions that his desire is to be traded, and not sign a long-term deal with the club. That much has not changed, however, the Jaguars have resumed a dialogue with Ngakoue.

In speaking with reporters on Aug. 11, Caldwell indicated that following Ngakoue’s agent change, he and the veteran defender have resumed conversations though, he would not go into further detail on the matter.

”I know he (Ngakoue) and I have been in contact the last couple of days, but that is for him to discuss,” said Caldwell. “He’s earned the right to play his contract out, and he’s earned the right to do what’s best for him and his family. So I’m going to defer any of his future questions to him and try to keep our conversations between he and I.”

The general manager went on to say the team still cares for Ngakoue and would welcome him back with open arms. That much has not changed, and has remained the thought process within the Jaguars building since all of this began, regardless of the social media posts made by the young defender.

While the Jaguars will certainly want to know whether Ngakoue is going to suit up for them or not this season, it doesn’t appear that anything is currently on the horizon. Trade talks will take time, and Caldwell says nothing immediate will be happening.

“Right now, we’re in a holding pattern, he’s in a holding pattern, but we’re having contact with him and his agent,” Caldwell said today. “We’ve talked to some teams, but there’s nothing there’s nothing immediate that’s gonna happen here.”