Tweet
Strange day at Rams Park
BY JIM THOMAS
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
03/05/2010
On the eve of free agency, a period in which most NFL teams break out their wallets, the Rams symbolically put theirs back in their pocket.
In an unusual move, the Rams officially tendered strong safety Oshiomogho Atogwe at the lowest level possible Thursday as a restricted free agent — the right-of-first-refusal level. Should Atogwe get an outside offer from another team and the Rams decide not to match, the Rams would get no draft pick compensation.
"It's a risky move," said one league insider familiar with the Atogwe situation. "It's almost like they're trying to get too cute on this one."
For now, the move saves the team $5.75 million. Had the Rams tendered Atogwe at any of the four other available levels — original draft pick, second-round draft pick, first-round draft pick, first- and third-round draft picks — Atogwe would have been due $6,976,000. Instead, at the right-of-first-refusal level, Atogwe gets only $1,226,000.
Neither Atogwe nor his agent could be reached for comment Thursday. Atogwe could force the Rams' hand simply by not signing the tender. The Rams would then have the option to either release him by June 1 or pay him the full $6,976,000. In doing so, they could run the risk of alienating Atogwe to the point where he could skip all of the offseason program until June 1.
It's doubtful the move will go over big in the locker room. With 10 days to go before the start of the team's offseason conditioning program, Rams players remain scattered all over the country. But one player's reply to the move, via text message Thursday, was: "What!!!"
Even with matching rights, another team could drop in a so-called poison pill or expensive clause that could make it difficult for the Rams to match on Atogwe. The Rams obviously feel confident that Atogwe is not a $7 million player, and he probably isn't.
But he's arguably one of the two best players — along with middle linebacker James Laurinaitis — on the Rams' defense. As one veteran NFL coach told the Post-Dispatch last week in evaluating the Rams' defense, "To me, other than Atogwe in the back end, I think their secondary's bad."
It was a strange day all around at Rams Park.
— Quarterback Marc Bulger was there Thursday, but it's unclear whether he met with team officials. It's looking more and more as if Bulger has played his last game with the club, but the Rams don't have to be in a hurry to cut or trade him — not until they execute a trade for a veteran quarterback, or see Oklahoma's Sam Bradford and Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen throw at their pro days.
— Offensive guard Richie Incognito, released by the Rams in December, also was there to pick up some things. Incognito finished the season with Buffalo but was not tendered by the Bills. He is drawing interest from several teams and was told by the Rams that they might have some interest in re-signing him.
— The Rams completed their tender process by tendering safety Craig Dahl at the right-of-first-refusal level, the same as Atogwe. They did not tender tight end Daniel Fells or defensive tackle Gary Gibson, meaning both become the equivalent of unrestricted free agents today, the start of the free agency and trading period. The decision not to tender Fells leaves the Rams with only two tight ends under contract with any appreciable NFL experience: Billy Bajema and recently signed Derek Fine.
Only five of the Rams' 13 restricted free agents have received tender offers from the club: Atogwe, Dahl, defensive end Victor Adeyanju, offensive tackle Alex Barron and defensive tackle Clifton Ryan.
The eight who did not receive tenders are free today to shop the market, no strings attached: Fells, Gibson, defensive back Eric Bassey, running back Samkon Gado, wide receiver Ruvell Martin, long snapper Ryan Neill, guard-center Mark Setterstrom and cornerback Jonathan Wade.
The Rams also continue to work on their own list of unrestricted free agents, most notably defensive ends James Hall and Leonard Little. Little still hasn't committed to playing in 2010, although he is said to be leaning that way.
Little lives in Charlotte, N.C., and it's rumored that the Carolina Panthers could be interested in signing him, particularly with Julius Peppers headed out the door.
"If they would call, I would really have to consider it," Little told the Charlotte Observer on Thursday.
Three former Rams assistant coaches, including defensive line coach Brian Baker, are on the current Carolina staff, and Little thinks highly of Baker.
"He's been a great inspiration to me, off the field and on the field," Little told the Observer. "He's a great person, a great family man."
As for outside free agents, the Rams' options appear limited. Because 2010 is an uncapped year, more than 200 players scheduled for unrestricted free agency are now restricted free agents.
Most of the available unrestricted free agents are aging veterans. The few players available in the prime of their careers will have plenty of options other than a Rams team that has lost 42 of its last 48 games.
The Rams did have some interest in San Diego running back Darren Sproles, but in a surprise change of direction the Chargers tendered Sproles at the highest level Thursday as a restricted free agent. Originally, they planned not to tender him at all. The high tender means the Chargers would get first- and third-round draft picks as compensation if they chose not to match an outside offer.
BY JIM THOMAS
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
03/05/2010
On the eve of free agency, a period in which most NFL teams break out their wallets, the Rams symbolically put theirs back in their pocket.
In an unusual move, the Rams officially tendered strong safety Oshiomogho Atogwe at the lowest level possible Thursday as a restricted free agent — the right-of-first-refusal level. Should Atogwe get an outside offer from another team and the Rams decide not to match, the Rams would get no draft pick compensation.
"It's a risky move," said one league insider familiar with the Atogwe situation. "It's almost like they're trying to get too cute on this one."
For now, the move saves the team $5.75 million. Had the Rams tendered Atogwe at any of the four other available levels — original draft pick, second-round draft pick, first-round draft pick, first- and third-round draft picks — Atogwe would have been due $6,976,000. Instead, at the right-of-first-refusal level, Atogwe gets only $1,226,000.
Neither Atogwe nor his agent could be reached for comment Thursday. Atogwe could force the Rams' hand simply by not signing the tender. The Rams would then have the option to either release him by June 1 or pay him the full $6,976,000. In doing so, they could run the risk of alienating Atogwe to the point where he could skip all of the offseason program until June 1.
It's doubtful the move will go over big in the locker room. With 10 days to go before the start of the team's offseason conditioning program, Rams players remain scattered all over the country. But one player's reply to the move, via text message Thursday, was: "What!!!"
Even with matching rights, another team could drop in a so-called poison pill or expensive clause that could make it difficult for the Rams to match on Atogwe. The Rams obviously feel confident that Atogwe is not a $7 million player, and he probably isn't.
But he's arguably one of the two best players — along with middle linebacker James Laurinaitis — on the Rams' defense. As one veteran NFL coach told the Post-Dispatch last week in evaluating the Rams' defense, "To me, other than Atogwe in the back end, I think their secondary's bad."
It was a strange day all around at Rams Park.
— Quarterback Marc Bulger was there Thursday, but it's unclear whether he met with team officials. It's looking more and more as if Bulger has played his last game with the club, but the Rams don't have to be in a hurry to cut or trade him — not until they execute a trade for a veteran quarterback, or see Oklahoma's Sam Bradford and Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen throw at their pro days.
— Offensive guard Richie Incognito, released by the Rams in December, also was there to pick up some things. Incognito finished the season with Buffalo but was not tendered by the Bills. He is drawing interest from several teams and was told by the Rams that they might have some interest in re-signing him.
— The Rams completed their tender process by tendering safety Craig Dahl at the right-of-first-refusal level, the same as Atogwe. They did not tender tight end Daniel Fells or defensive tackle Gary Gibson, meaning both become the equivalent of unrestricted free agents today, the start of the free agency and trading period. The decision not to tender Fells leaves the Rams with only two tight ends under contract with any appreciable NFL experience: Billy Bajema and recently signed Derek Fine.
Only five of the Rams' 13 restricted free agents have received tender offers from the club: Atogwe, Dahl, defensive end Victor Adeyanju, offensive tackle Alex Barron and defensive tackle Clifton Ryan.
The eight who did not receive tenders are free today to shop the market, no strings attached: Fells, Gibson, defensive back Eric Bassey, running back Samkon Gado, wide receiver Ruvell Martin, long snapper Ryan Neill, guard-center Mark Setterstrom and cornerback Jonathan Wade.
The Rams also continue to work on their own list of unrestricted free agents, most notably defensive ends James Hall and Leonard Little. Little still hasn't committed to playing in 2010, although he is said to be leaning that way.
Little lives in Charlotte, N.C., and it's rumored that the Carolina Panthers could be interested in signing him, particularly with Julius Peppers headed out the door.
"If they would call, I would really have to consider it," Little told the Charlotte Observer on Thursday.
Three former Rams assistant coaches, including defensive line coach Brian Baker, are on the current Carolina staff, and Little thinks highly of Baker.
"He's been a great inspiration to me, off the field and on the field," Little told the Observer. "He's a great person, a great family man."
As for outside free agents, the Rams' options appear limited. Because 2010 is an uncapped year, more than 200 players scheduled for unrestricted free agency are now restricted free agents.
Most of the available unrestricted free agents are aging veterans. The few players available in the prime of their careers will have plenty of options other than a Rams team that has lost 42 of its last 48 games.
The Rams did have some interest in San Diego running back Darren Sproles, but in a surprise change of direction the Chargers tendered Sproles at the highest level Thursday as a restricted free agent. Originally, they planned not to tender him at all. The high tender means the Chargers would get first- and third-round draft picks as compensation if they chose not to match an outside offer.
RAMMER
Comment