What Pro Bowler, Recent Addition Hoping To Bring To Patriots
FOXBORO, Mass. — The New England Patriots added a veteran defensive end with Pro Bowl production to their locker room.
Yannick Ngakoue, who’s “excited” and “happy” for the opportunity, is hoping to add a few things himself.
“Leadership, energy. That’s all I really want to bring,” Ngakoue said at Gillette Stadium on Wednesday. “Because energy is contagious, and if we can all have the right energy then we can win some more football games.”
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Patriots first-year head coach Jerod Mayo believes Ngakoue will be able to help the defense on all three downs. Ngakoue made a name for himself as a pass-rusher with 37 1/2 sacks in his first four seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars. That production has fallen off the last two seasons.
Ngakoue was waived by the 7-3 Baltimore Ravens and claimed by the Patriots on Friday. He played five games for Baltimore this season, but saw 30% or more of defensive snaps in just one contest. He had four tackles for loss and 1 1/2 sacks in those five games.
New England marks Ngakoue’s fifth team in five seasons.
The 29-year-old Ngakoue enters a much different situation with the rebuilding Patriots than title-contending Ravens. But he’s keeping perspective and not concerning himself with that.
“It doesn’t matter to me,” Ngakoue said. “Where I was drafted to, it was a team (Jaguars) that didn’t win a lot. And the next year we were in the AFC championship. It’s all about your perspective. It’s all about how you can build team camaraderie and change those things.”
Ngakoue took the practice field with the Patriots for the first time Wednesday. He’ll continue to get up to speed before the Patriots host the Los Angeles Rams at Gillette Stadium on Sunday.