The Indianapolis Colts made a splash move Wednesday by agreeing to a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders that would add defensive end Yannick Ngakoue to the defensive line.
The trade details are as simple as it gets. The Colts are sending cornerback Rock Ya-Sin and will receive Ngakoue in exchange. Ya-Sin just finished his third season and will be a free agent following the 2022 campaign.
The Colts needed to make a splash for a pass rusher in the worst way. While the quarterback position hurt them in many ways down the stretch of the 2021 season, the lack of a consistent pass rush was nearly as much to blame for the collapse.
Ngakoue already has experience working as the LEO in Gus Bradley’s defensive scheme as the pair worked together with the Raiders in 2021. That resulted in 10.0 sacks, 63 total pressures and a 13.1% pass-rush win rate, per Pro Football Focus.
Unless the Colts sign Ngakoue to a contract extension, they will be on the hook for his one-year deal worth up to $13 million. His $5 million base salary is guaranteed on the fifth day of the new league year while he also carries an $8 million roster bonus, according to Over The Cap.
Turning 27 years old at the end of March, the Colts needed to add some talent like Ngakoue. He has 55.5 sacks across six seasons in the NFL and has never recorded fewer than 8.0 sacks in a season.
Ngakoue will be joining a defensive line that currently includes Kwity Paye, DeForest Buckner, Grover Stewart, Dayo Odeyingbo and Tyquan Lewis. It’s likely that he will be rotating at the LEO position with Paye, who enters his second season following a promising rookie campaign.
The Colts don’t yet have a quarterback but they addressed arguably their biggest need by trading for an above-average edge rusher.
With Ya-Sin being shipped out, the Colts now move the cornerback position higher on the list of needs. They agreed to a one-year deal with Brandon Facyson and still have Kenny Moore and Isaiah Rodgers. But it should be expected that they bring in a Casey Hayward type and/or draft another cornerback.
This move is huge for the Colts and should give a much more positive outlook toward the defense.
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