4 big decisions that backfired on the Vikings in 2020
By Dean Jones
Trading for Ngakoue
Expectations for the Vikings were extremely high when they made a bombshell trade for Yannick Ngakoue. The defensive end was set to fill the void left by Danielle Hunter after he was put on the injured reserve list with a neck injury. Ngakoue also had a big point to prove after an acrimonious departure from the Jacksonville Jaguars.
To say this move didn’t work out would be something of an understatement. Ngakoue did manage to record five sacks in six games. Still, with Minnesota quickly falling out of playoff contention due to a 1-5 start, the team’s decision-makers decided to cut their losses and ship the former third-round pick and ship him to the Baltimore Ravens.
Not only did this cost the Vikings a second-round selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, but they only got a third-rounder back in return. Ngakoue is now in the midst of a postseason challenge with John Harbaugh’s Ravens, while Minnesota is on the outside looking in and facing some enormous challenges this offseason.
Ngakoue’s time with the Vikings will always be tinged with sadness.
There is just no telling how much damage a potential partnership with Hunter would have caused opposing offensive lines. However, it would have cost a substantial amount to keep Ngakoue around beyond this season, and money is something Minnesota doesn’t exactly have an abundance of with the salary-cap expected to be coming down due to COVID-19 revenue losses.