OJ Atogwe available for free?
by tomas21 on Mar 4, 2010 7:30 AM CST
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According to the above article from the St Louis Post-Dispatch, the Rams are possibly going to put the lowest tender on FS OJ Atogwe. If so, they would have the opportunity to match any offers he received, but wouldn't get any compensation if he left.
The rationale behind this move is it saves them about 5 mil in salary if nobody signs him to an offer sheet. The problem is he is a heck of a FS, and I would be shocked if nobody did sign him. If they do, they have to either match the deal or lose him with no compensation. By not attaching compensation, they are basically inviting every team in the league to come after him with no strings attached. They are also risking the inability to sign him if someone puts "poison pill" language in his contract (though word on the street is the poison pill has been unofficially banned by the league).
The Rams franchised Atogwe last year, a designation he quietly accepted, but I can't imagine the Rams taking advantage of a CBA loophole to give him a $5 mil paycut is going to go over well.
I think OJ Atogwe is significantly better for the Bears than Antrel Rolle. He is a more complete FS and a good leader. He would likely come cheaper. He is coming off a shoulder injury at the end of last season, but all reports were that he would be 100% for this season.
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i would
def sign him,save us some money to spend towards a pepper or c.taylor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes.
If he got that tender, the Bears would be interested for sure
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Mar 4, 2010 8:33 AM CST reply actions
If Atogwe is in any way/shape/form available to us
the Bears would be stupid not to make every possible move to acquire him
"Hey, the offensive linemen are the biggest guys on the field, they're bigger than everybody else, and that's what make them the biggest guys on the field." -Madden
Yeah..
one of the only bright spots on their entire team. He is our best option now, no doubt. The Rams must just want to suck worse than they did last year.
Walter Payton lives on!!!
Hey
He’s from the Rams. Lovie has the inside track.
…although I’d actually be okay with this pickup for once.
Time to bust out the poison pill!!
25mil bonus if he plays for the rams week 1.
For Free ???
OJ would be an absloute steal and give us a real " Free " safety ! Sorry couldn’t resist . This guy would be cheaper than Rolle and is younger than Sharper and is as talented as both of them . So heres to hoping that the Rams tender him the lowest they can !!!
by MidWayMonster54 on Mar 4, 2010 10:52 AM CST reply actions
Thanks for seeing
my pun with the title of the post. Wasn’t sure if anyone would see that.
DEJESUS!!!
+1...
Atogwe is a solid safety with range/speed and tackles well. He’s arguably better than any of the “free” safeties the Bears currently have and he’s a better fit than Rolle (of cash!). This one’s so easy a caveman can do it:
IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO FIRE LOVIE!
......
Is it just me, or do JAs teeth really bother anyone else?
in•san•i•ty \in-ˈsa-nə-tē\ noun
1 : The act of doing the same thing over and over again while expecting different results.
by Timothy Hockemeyer on Mar 4, 2010 11:53 AM CST up reply actions
JA's entire LOOK in that pic really bothers me.
He’s got that “Heh heh heh, watch me turn this into more DE draft picks” look.
by Steven Schweickert on Mar 4, 2010 12:31 PM CST up reply actions
he's been following the dog...
around all fours, the dog stopped and he didn’t…lmao
Walter Payton lives on!!!
This would be the perfect move for Chi City.
Come on jerry, work them phones.
"How sad, another victim of the Night Nurses from Jersey."
Cheaper than Rolle?
Says who? Atogwe would be making $7M this year if the Rams tagged him at anything above the lowest possible tender. It is VERY possible that teams will come make offers at that price anyway in which case St. Louis will have the option to match. I suspect OJ will be making somewhere around what he made last year— in the $6-7M range.
Rolle has come out publicly and stated he wants to get paid $8M next year. I suspect he’ll instead be making in the same $6-7M range as Atogwe.
Atogwe is a WAY better option for the Bears imho than Rolle and I’d love to land him.
And I totally agree with the poison pill and as much deviousness as it takes to get this done. JA, you listening? Your job is on the line buddy.Make it happen.
Poison pill?
Could someone explain this reference? Not one I’ve come across before in regards to this sort of thing.
"F*** everybody outside of Halas Hall. BEARDOWN" - WavyGravy
"if we need it, we’re not drafting it. not high anyway. look for Angelo to go after a DL/DE – because that’s just the kind of asshat he is.." - junkhorse
"44 years of football history and nothing to show for it. I wish I wasn’t banned at the Norseman.." - tfrabotta
Poison Pill
Something inserted into the contract offered to a restricted free agent by another team.
For example, if the Bears offered Atogwe a contract that stipulated a 25 million dollar bonus if he plays more than two games in the state of Missouri for one season.
That’d make it suicide for the Rams to match, because he has to play 8 games in Missouri.
I'm a firm believer in the philosophy of a ruling class. Especially since I rule. -Randal Graves
Writer at windycitygridiron.com -/-I http://www.twitter.com/kdoggers
I think the league banned those
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Mar 4, 2010 3:29 PM CST up reply actions
Not officially
but I think it has been strongly discouraged.
DEJESUS!!!
As long as we're allowed
And the Queens did it, so it’s only fair. Anyway it’s the Rams, they won’t mind.
ROFL
"Hey, the offensive linemen are the biggest guys on the field, they're bigger than everybody else, and that's what make them the biggest guys on the field." -Madden
by BearNecessities on Mar 5, 2010 8:11 AM CST up reply actions
Apparently not
According to this link from the FA thread part 2.
"F*** everybody outside of Halas Hall. BEARDOWN" - WavyGravy
"if we need it, we’re not drafting it. not high anyway. look for Angelo to go after a DL/DE – because that’s just the kind of asshat he is.." - junkhorse
"44 years of football history and nothing to show for it. I wish I wasn’t banned at the Norseman.." - tfrabotta
Cheers!
"F*** everybody outside of Halas Hall. BEARDOWN" - WavyGravy
"if we need it, we’re not drafting it. not high anyway. look for Angelo to go after a DL/DE – because that’s just the kind of asshat he is.." - junkhorse
"44 years of football history and nothing to show for it. I wish I wasn’t banned at the Norseman.." - tfrabotta
The Rams are likely just letting the market negotiate his contract for them.
"You win because of the quarterback. We have to get that position stabilized. We're fixated on that." -- Jerry Angelo (12.30.2008)
Jerry Angelo trades for Jay Cutler! (4.2.2009)
.
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