Vikings News: Yannick Ngakoue reportedly traded to the Ravens

The Minnesota Vikings are reportedly trading Yannick Ngakoue to the Baltimore Ravens.

Less than two months ago, the Minnesota Vikings were able to work out a deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars to acquire defensive end Yannick Ngakoue.

Well, now Ngakoue is reportedly heading to his third team in two months as the Vikings are reportedly trading him to the Baltimore Ravens according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

In exchange for the defensive end, Minnesota is receiving a 2021 third-round draft pick, and a 2022 conditional fifth-round draft selection from the Ravens according to Schefter.

Vikings News: What’s next for Minnesota?

Despite Ngakoue performing relatively well during his six games with the Vikings, things clearly weren’t working out and the team felt they were better off sending him elsewhere.

During his short stint with Minnesota, the young defensive end accumulated 12 tackles (five for a loss), five sacks, and two forced fumbles. The rest of the Vikings defense has combined for just seven sacks this season.

When Minnesota initially gave up a 2021 second-round draft pick to acquire Ngakoue in August, the thought was that the team would attempt to sign him to a long-term deal after the current season. Obviously, that isn’t going to happen as the young pass rusher is now on his way to the AFC North.

Is Ngakoue the first of multiple Vikings players who are about to get traded before this year’s deadline? Since Minnesota’s playoff hopes are pretty much non-existent with a 1-5 record after six games, unloading a bunch of high-priced veterans might be what the team feels is best in order to better prepare for their future.

Is this trade also an indication that Danielle Hunter could be closer to returning from his neck injury? It seems possible, but the Vikings also might want Hunter to just sit out the rest of the season to recover since their chances of success for this year are pretty minimal at this point.

We will all just have to wait and see. But for now, Ngakoue is heading to put on a different shade of purple after a brief stint in the Twin Cities.