OWINGS MILLS — The Ravens’ pass rush has gotten a boost from the addition of Yannick Ngakoue and now he is part of the 53-man roster.
Ngakoue was down to one remaining elevation from the practice squad and the Ravens didn’t want to risk losing him to a team like the Detroit Lions, who need a pass rusher after losing Aidan Hutchinson to a broken left leg.
The Ravens will keep Ngakoue on the 53-man roster and waived guard Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu in a corresponding move.
Ravens coach John Harbaugh said Ngakoue has been a huge addition after they signed him as a free agent on September 24th. Ngakoue earned his first sack of the season against the Commanders on Sunday.
“It’s really cool – he is a Maryland guy; a Ravens fan his whole life,” Harbaugh said. “We got to know him in the draft coming out a little bit and then stayed … You kind of bump into guys, and when he came last time, [we] really got to know each other. He and I, we hit it off – we stayed in touch all the way through.
“The biggest thing is he tells me every time I see him – every time I see him, he tells me how excited he is to be here, and how he’s got our backs and everything like that. I see it in the way he’s practicing and the way he’s playing.”
The Ravens originally acquired Ngakoue in October 2020 from the Minnesota Vikings for a 2021 third-round pick and a 2022 conditional fifth-round pick. In nine games with the Ravens, Ngakoue had 11 tackles, including two for a loss, three sacks and two forced fumbles.
Baltimore declined to re-sign him after the season.
In addition to the Ravens and Vikings, Ngakoue has played for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Chicago Bears, Indianapolis Colts, and the Las Vegas Raiders. He has been a productive player, amassing 69 sacks.
Last season with the Bears, Ngakoue started 13 games and finished with 22 tackles and four sacks.
Now, Ngakoue is starting to deliver more production with the Ravens and his playing time could increase over the next couple of games.
“He played tremendously well, which was not a surprise because we saw him practice that way,” Harbaugh said. “[He’s been a] big addition; [he’s a] big addition to our team; very excited with the way he’s rolling.”