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  • #1

    Dolphins Sign Zgonina

    The Miami Dolphins signed 10-year veteran defensive tackle Jeff Zgonina on Monday in a move that provides the club a solid rotational player.

    A starter the past three seasons in St. Louis, where he has played since 1997, the unrestricted free agent Zgonina signed a four-year contract. Financial details were not immediately available, but ESPN.com confirmed the signing bonus was $500,000.

    Miami outbid the Kansas City Chiefs for Zgonina, who could have remained with the Rams and who also had interest from the New England Patriots. The addition of Zgonina gives the Dolphins a proven veteran to spell starting tackles Tim Bowens and Larry Chester.

    The fate of former No. 3 tackle Jermained Haley, a restricted free agent, is not yet clear. The team could rescind its $605,000 qualifying offer to Haley or attempt to trade the three-year veteran.

    Zgonina, 32, is a tough-minded run stopper who has flashed some pass rush ability in recent seasons. The self-made, blue-collar player had never started a game before 2000, but logged 40 starts in his three years with the Rams and was named a team captain.

    In a thinning free agent pool Zgonina clearly was one of the best defensive players remaining and he seemed to click with team officials in Miami when he visited the past two days.

    The former Purdue star played with Pittsburgh (1993-94), Carolina (1995) and Atlanta (1996) before signing with St. Louis in 1997. He has recorded 206 tackles, 13½ sacks and three forced fumbles in 107 appearances. Last season, starting in all 16 games, he had 38 tackles and four sacks.
    Clannie Nominee for ClanRam's Thickest Poster
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  • #2
    Re: Dolphins Sign Zgonina

    Yodude, I hope Av appreciates your efforts. I'm sure the Zgonina discussions will be as spirited and lively as the Hodgins and Miller threads!

    Comment

    • #3
      Re: Dolphins Sign Zgonina

      Its a good thing that Yodude doesn't allow himself to be baited by my comments! :redface:

      Comment

      • #4
        Re: Dolphins Sign Zgonina

        I can't wait for the responses to start pouring in. :king:
        Clannie Nominee for ClanRam's Thickest Poster

        Comment

        • #5
          Re: Dolphins Sign Zgonina

          Its a good thing that Yodude doesn't allow himself to be baited by my comments!

          Just trying to make you happy!
          Clannie Nominee for ClanRam's Thickest Poster

          Comment

          • #6
            Re: Dolphins Sign Zgonina

            Losing Zgonina? This just happened Monday? Where was the petition to keep him? Does it matter as long as we have Wistrom? You don't want to put someone like Young at DT where he might get a stupid penalty called on him keeping a Division title contender in the game instead of Zgonina do you?

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            • #7
              Re: Dolphins Sign Zgonina

              That's the only news that could be found about Zgonina? Yikes!

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              • DJRamFan
                Ogunleye could be on the trading block
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                By Len Pasquarelli
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                Troubled teams often make reckless moves and, with the Miami Dolphins desperate to fill their yawning hole at tailback, general manager Rick Spielman might now be forced to consider using defensive end Adewale Ogunleye as trade bait in his effort to replace the abruptly retired Ricky Williams.



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                The unsigned Ogunleye, coming off a breakthrough 2003 season in which he led the AFC in sacks, is an attractive bargaining chip who was quietly courted by several teams before the draft. Spielman could conceivably approach some of those teams, notably Minnesota and Chicago, about a deal. Both the Bears and Vikings, with solid tailback depth, could offer a solution to the Dolphins' need for a proven runner.


                But in a twist nearly as mind-numbing as Williams' retirement, the agent for Ogunleye said Sunday that he now is more confident than at any time in recent months that his client will strike a deal that keeps him with the Dolphins.


                "I don't have any [contract] proposals to back it up and, from a numbers standpoint, we haven't moved much from where we were [weeks ago]," agent Drew Rosenhaus said. "But I sense more urgency from both sides to get something done. You're right, in that the Ricky Williams development improves Adewale's situation, but it doesn't necessarily mean a trade."


                Indeed, the Dolphins organization could react to Williams' retirement by deciding to fill from within or sign a veteran free agent, and simply try to compensate in part for his exit by getting better on the defensive side of the ball. But the Dolphins statistically rated No. 10 in overall defense in 2003 and, even by retaining Ogunleye, might not get significantly better than that this season.


                Adewale Ogunleye
                Defensive End
                Miami Dolphins
                Profile


                2003 SEASON STATISTICS
                Tot Ast Solo FF Sack Int
                64 45 19 2 15 0




                A restricted free agent, Ogunleye was granted the "high level" qualifying offer of $1.824 million by the Dolphins in February, a move that provided the team the right to match any offer he receives from another team. From the outset, however, Ogunleye has been seeking a long-term deal commensurate to those signed by other high-profile ends. When he did not sign the Miami qualifying offer by mid-April, the Dolphins, per their rights in the collective bargaining agreement, reduced their offer to $455,000.


                That's where things have remained and,...
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              • Milan
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              • bruce4life
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                [email protected]

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                NO DEAL: Dolphins offensive lineman Damion McIntosh and the team have come to a standstill on contract talks and it appears more likely that McIntosh will not return to Miami next season.MiamiHerald.com

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              • Nick
                Two teams interested in Ogunleye
                by Nick
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                Two teams seeking to upgrade their pass rush have an interest in trading for Adewale Ogunleye if the Dolphins place the Pro Bowl defensive end on the trading block.

                An NFL source said Sunday that Washington is "definitely" curious about acquiring Ogunleye, who is threatening a lengthy holdout if the Dolphins don't sign him to a long-term contract extension. The Florida Times-Union reported last week that Jacksonville also is closely monitoring the situation.

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              • Nick
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                Dropping the qualifying offer to the lower number could inject a degree of acrimony, one that has been absent to this point, into the negotiations.

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                -06-13-2004, 10:58 AM
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