Led by new additions Milton Williams, Harold Landry III, and K’Lavon Chaisson, the New England Patriots' pass rush has been the team’s biggest improvement. Their defense is currently tied 15th in both sacks (11) and quarterback knockdowns (14) this season. Last year, the Patriots’ pass rush was arguably the team’s biggest weakness.
The defense struggled getting to the quarterbacks, finishing last in sacks (28), 29th in quarterback pressures (17.6%), and 30th in quarterback knockdowns (33). Defensive end Yannick Ngakoue, who played briefly for the team last season, remains a free agent after being released by the Patriots last year.
This week, Ngakoue posted to X, formerly Twitter, "ready to rush," expressing his urgent desire to return to the field.
Defensive End Yannick Ngakoue is Ready to Return to the NFL
Last year, Ngakoue split time between the Baltimore Ravens and the Patriots, recording 1.5 sacks, 14 total tackles, and one tackle for loss in 11 games. His 52.1 Pro Football Focus grade ranked 168th out of 210 eligible edge defenders, and his 46.7 pass rush grade ranked 205th.
Ngakoue played his first four seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2017. In Jacksonville, Ngakoue recorded 37.5 sacks, 122 total tackles, 42 tackles for loss, and two interceptions in 63 games.
Before the start of the 2020 season, Ngakoue was traded to the Minnesota Vikings, and since then, he’s played for six different teams. Although Ngakoue had solid seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders and Indianapolis Colts, posting 10 and 9.5 sacks in the 2021 and 2022 seasons, respectively, Ngakoue hasn’t been the same player since leaving the Jaguars.
His 88.2 pass rush grade in 2017 has declined every year since, with the veteran posting a 46.7 grade last season. Although he’s only 30 and presumably still has some gas left in the tank, Ngakoue would have to make up for his declining pass rush ability by improving in the run game.
Ngakoue showed improvement in limited play last year, receiving a career-high 70.2 run grade. Despite having no success with the Patriots the previous year, Ngakoue should find himself a team in the coming weeks, with multiple franchises dealing with injuries on that side of the ball.
Although he won’t end up back on the Patriots, Ngakoue could end up back in the AFC East, as both the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins rank in the bottom half of the league in sacks.