The Indianapolis Colts agreed to trade for Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Yannick Ngakoue on Wednesday. No contract extension is imminent, per Joel A. Erickson of The Indianapolis Star.
This doesn’t mean a contract extension won’t get done, but it does mean that the Colts are currently on the hook for Ngakoue’s current contract. Turning 27 years old at the end of March, Ngakoue will be a free agent following the 2022 season.
So while it’s still possible the Colts give Ngakoue the DeForest Buckner treatment of acquire and extend, it doesn’t appear that’s imminent right now.
From what I understand, an extension on Ngakoue isn’t imminent right now. Ngakoue counts $13 million against the cap this year.
— Joel A. Erickson (@JoelAErickson) March 16, 2022
The current contract for Ngakoue includes a $13 million salary-cap hit. According to Over The Cap, Ngakoue’s base salary of $5 million becomes guaranteed on the third day of the new league year. He also has a roster bonus of $8 million, which is also guaranteed.
The Colts have plenty of salary-cap space to make this work even if they don’t come to an extension. They may not lead the league anymore after this becomes official, but they’ll still be among the leaders.
Assuming the Colts view Ngakoue as a long-term asset, which is likely, we should expect the two sides to engage in extension talks. When that will be, though, remains to be seen.
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