7 most important things to know about Yannick Ngakoue

3. By his standards, Ngakoue had a “down year” in 2019, sort of

With a straight face, it’s challenging to assert a pass-rusher that accumulated eight sacks, four forced fumbles, and 13 tackles for loss — had a down year.

By the precedent Ngakoue set for himself in 2018, however, his numbers slightly declined. Whether this was the byproduct of a team in Jacksonville that finished the season with a 6-10 record, an unspoken injury, or an honest-to-goodness performance dip, Ngakoue’s numbers in 2019 were not as prestigious as the year prior. His pressures fell from 51 to 27, quarterback hits from 33 to 15, and sacks from 9.5 to 8. Specifically, the pressures mark is head-scratching, but it is not inconceivable for a player to encounter a simple crater in production.

Ngakoue will now benefit from the basic existence of Danielle Hunter. Teams may choose to double-team Hunter or simply opt not to double-team Ngakoue. Either gameplan will be profitable for Ngakoue.