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Maryland’s Yannick Ngakoue holding out of Jaguars training camp

This is the Maryland Minute, a short story followed by a roundup of Terps-related news

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Jacksonville Jaguars v Tennessee Titans Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

Former Maryland defensive lineman Yannick Ngakoue did not report to Jacksonville Jaguars training camp Wednesday afternoon after the sides could not come to an agreement on a new contract.

Ngakoue reportedly declined a contract that would make him the fourth-highest paid defensive end in the league, earning an average of $19 million a year and $50 million-plus over the first two years, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. Pelissero added that if the former Terp does report to camp, it would be on the contract that he agreed to after being drafted in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft and that talks with Jacksonville have halted.

Ngakoue will have to report to camp by Aug. 6 if he wants to be eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next year. Until then, he will be fined $40,000 a day.

Since 2016, Ngakoue is fourth in the NFL in quarterback pressures — behind Aaron Donald, Von Miller and Khalil Mack — and has a total of 29.5 sacks, 10 forced fumbles and 29 tackles for loss. He was selected to his first and only Pro Bowl in 2017.

“A guy like that, we need him in the locker room, we need him in the building,” Jaguars linebacker Myles Jack told The Athletic on Tuesday.

Ngakoue, who spent three years in College Park and set Maryland’s single-season sack record with 13.5 in 2015, turned 24 years old in March and could be franchise tagged by the Jaguars in 2020 if the two cannot agree to a deal by then. Frank Clark and DeMarcus Lawrence had the franchise tag placed on them before signing long-term deals with the Kansas City Chiefs and the Dallas Cowboys, respectively.

Should Ngakoue opt to play on the final year of his rookie contract, he will earn just over $2 million. This holdout should be something to keep an eye on as the NFL season approaches.

In other news

Andrew Terrell is back! Except this time he’s not in a Maryland basketball uniform, he’s on our ouTTakes podcast.

It’s Linebackers Week at Testudo Times, and Lamar looked at redshirt seniors Isaiah Davis and Nnamdi Egbuaba.

After beating Germany, the USA U19 women’s basketball team and incoming Maryland freshman Diamond Miller are headed to the FIBA quarterfinals. The team has won its tournament games by an average margin of 27 points.

Former Maryland women’s basketball standouts Kristi Toliver and Alyssa Thomas were both drafted by Team Delle Donne for this weekend’s WNBA All-Star game. Toliver is making her third appearance overall and second straight, while Thomas is making her second appearance.

Toliver closed the first half by dropping a season-high 32 points at the Minnesota Lynx.

Former Maryland safety Qwuantrezz Knight, who announced that he was leaving the program in November, was granted immediate eligibility at Kent State Wednesday after originally being denied by the NCAA.