He's never been a good run defender first off. Which I've always thought was strange given that he's a guy with good strength but he's not particularly quick in space. Had low-end 3 cone and short shuttle and it shows on the field.
This is why his numbers have been better from wide alignments IMO. Line him up wide and it helps counter his lack of mobility.
I see him as a solid rush end who isn't very good doing anything but rushing. And when you rush him your contain is at risk more than some other guys. So IMO would marginally upgrade us but not a great fit or anything. Here's his
PFF notes on their FA page:
It's all about setting proper expectations and carving out a role for Ngakoue, who has been a good, not great, pass-rusher throughout his career. He excels from wide alignments where he can threaten the edge and has the inside counters to keep offensive tackles off balance. Since 2017, Ngakoue has the eighth-best pass-rush grade in the league when rushing from wide alignments (89.1), but he grades out at just 68.3 from all other defensive line alignments. When combining that with a history of well below-average run-defense grades (he peaked with a 59.0 grade in 2018), Ngakoue has a limited skill set compared to other top edge defenders around the league. Ngakoue's best role is as a designated pass-rusher on a team with strong interior rushers and in a scheme where he can stay on the outside while limiting his work in the run game.
