The Baltimore Ravens or Carolina Panthers may sign Pro Bowler Yannick Ngakoue following the disastrous injury of Kyle Van Noy and Derrick Brown. A Bleacher Report is urging the Ravens to find a replacement for Van Noy and that could mean bringing back a familiar piece to the lineup. Ngakoue is familiar with the defensive scheme so it shouldn’t surprise anyone if the Ravens pursue him for a one-year contract while Van Noy recovers from an orbital bone fracture. The free-agent market doesn’t have many top pass rushers available so Ngakoue is probably their last resort since the other solution would be to trade for one.

Baltimore could have the idea of trading for Haason Reddick since he’s holding out, but it would make life easier if they sign an athlete that’s on the market. The Ravens wouldn’t want to risk drama in their locker room if they don’t give Reddick the deal he wants. Ngakoue has been receiving minimal interest but this might not be his last stop since there will be teams needing reinforcements. He’s hoping to find long-term stability and the veteran may find that in Baltimore if he’s looking to be a part of a strong defense.

However, the Maryland product notched four sacks in 13 games last year so it’s surprising that he’s still available. It may be for long since teams like the Panthers need immediate help. It’s easy to think the season is over after week one for Carolina after getting a supporting cast for the offense.

Ravens, Panthers May Sign Pro Bowler Yannick Ngakoue Following Disastrous Injuries to Kyle Van Noy, Derrick Brown

Carolina Needs Help

The Panthers couldn’t find any answers in their blowout loss against the Saints. One source says Defensive Lineman Derrick Brown suffered a season-ending injury which is a huge blow to the team’s pass-rushing unit. There’s no exact timeline for his recovery but after signing a new contract, he’s been the foundation of the defense. Even though they brought in veteran Jadeveon Clowney, they still need help to find a replacement to give the defense some life.

The Panthers are already struggling in their secondary with Jaycee Horn alone trying to come up with plays. Derek Carr putting up three first-half touchdowns against them should probably give the Panthers a wake-up call for a change. Brown had the most tackles last season after recording 103 of them which is the most in the league for a defensive tackle. Ngakoue isn’t on the level of Brown but any reinforcements, the Panthers should bank a contract on him.

Other Possible Destinations

Dallas Cowboys

It’s easy to see why the Cowboys could use Ngakoue in rotation despite their blowout win against the Browns. Cleveland has one of the worst offensive lines which allowed Dallas to take advantage of the pressure against Deshaun Watson. However, the team lost Dante Fowler Jr. and Dorance Armstrong this offseason but was able to make up for it by signing Eric Kendricks. This is probably Demarcus Lawrence’s last season with the Cowboys since he’s getting older and would probably prioritize extending Micah Parsons.

The Cowboys should be able to keep a cheap rotational piece like Ngakoue to keep guys like Marshawn Kneeland and DeMarvion Overshown afloat.

Kansas City Chiefs

Kansas City has been able to get away with some of the most complete pass-rushing units led by Chris Jones. However, it wouldn’t hurt to keep adding to what they already have to keep the pressure on opposing offense since their secondary will be a whole lot different than last year with the loss of L’Jarius Sneed. Ngakoue could probably fare well in a championship team and learn something from Jones.

Los Angeles Chargers

While Jim Harbaugh is focusing on the running game, he wants to win matchups in the trenches. Adding a cheap pass rusher like Ngakoue could give the defense some life in that realm and finally get him to shine under Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa. However, don’t expect the Chargers to keep both Bosa and Mack together forever since they may demand higher contracts after their generous restructuring this year. Ngakoue may finally be the premiere piece in the Chargers’ defense if they sign him.