EAGLES FREE AGENCY: Yannick Ngakoue or Byron Jones?

Ngakoue could become a free agent, but the team is reportedly set to offer Jones a big-money contract. They can't have both, so who would you rather have?

Yannick Ngakoue said good-bye to Jacksonville on Monday, tweeting that he no longer has an interest in signing a long-term deal to stay with the Jaguars.

The Jaguars, though, may not be ready to say good-bye to him. They very well could use the franchise tag on him. Jacksonville has until 4 p.m. on March 10 to slap the tag on him.

That wouldn’t make Ngakoue very happy, and he may refuse to sign it, so let’s say the defensive end makes it to free agency, which begins on March 18. 

Could the Eagles make a push for him?

There are reports that the Eagles are loading up to make a strong push for cornerback Byron Jones when he hits free agency. The three-day negotiation period for pending free agents begins March 15.

Going after Jones makes sense because the Eagles need corners, with starters Jalen Mills and Ronald Darby likely to hit free agency.

Signing both Jones and Ngakoue is virtually impossible since each will command contracts close to $20, and the Eagles have close to $42 million under the cap to spend.

If I had my pick between Jones and Ngakoue, I would take Ngakoue all day, every day. Pass rushers are always difficult to find, whereas there are plenty of cornerbacks in this draft that could suit the Eagles just fine.

Here’s my very simple two-pronged case for Ngakoue:

First, his age. He turns 25 on March 31.

Second, his production.

At 6-2, 246, he is lightening off the edge.

Ngakoue gives 100 percent on every single snap, and he always seems around the ball. When he is around the ball, he is good at forcing it out of a ball carrier’s hands. Ngakoue has 14 forced fumbles in four seasons.

He has 37.5 sacks in those four years, 85 quarterback hits and 42 tackles for loss.

Jones is very good, yes, but pass rush and coverage go hand in hand. Pressure the quarterback and a corner doesn’t have to cover as long. Cover long enough and a pass rush has time to get home.

The Eagles never had a chance to take Ngakoue in the 2016 NFL Draft, when Ngakoue came out of the University of Maryland and was selected in the third round (the 69th player taken overall) because that was the year that general manager Howie Roseman traded all the way up to the second pick to take quarterback Carson Wentz.

The Eagles didn’t have another pick in that draft until No. 79, when they chose offensive lineman Isaac Seumalo.

Imagine lining up Ngakoue on the other side of Brandon Graham, with Derek Barnett working in as a rotational end along with Josh Sweat and perhaps Joe Ostman and Shareef Miller.

The Eagles would be set on the edge for years to come – even when Graham’s contract expires at the end of 2021 - and Ngakoue makes the group much more formidable.

Of course, Ngakoue has to hit free agency first, and not get tagged by Jacksonville, but the Eagles should be ready just in case he is set free.

If Ngakoue is tagged and traded, the Eagles should consider the investment wisely, even if it means this year's first-round pick.

It is steep, but Ngakoue is worth it.