http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Report-Atogwe-could-get-low-tender.html ---Strictly speculating here, but if he is tendered (at the lowest level) then he is no longer considered a true UFA and we can sign him. I tried to avoid Rams games as much as possible (so I don't have a great knowledge of his skill/have seen him play much), but I know he is a talented player who may have just priced himself out of a struggling Rams team. With Rhodes being put into several trade scenarios (for pick(s))---does this guy have a good shot to land on our roster? Especially given the ridiculous demands Rolle is expected to make.
IMO overall he's damn good S and better than Rolle. He got franchised last year and kept his mouth shut. Not to mention he played his ass off on a shit team. I would love to have him but as I've stated before I have no clue how all this tendered/RFA/UFA shit works this year. Moreover, I dont really give a flying fuck because I'm not the guy trying to sign FA. So to answer your question....I dont know. Watch out though...if he's 28 or older you're going to get ripped to pieces
Fora runnign back you may be right, those guys hit the wall fast past 30. Hell LT and Westbrooke are just getting there and look done. For most othae positions people can play into thier mid 20's and be productive if the lack a major injury history. So, if your being a smartass, your not a very bright one. If your being serious, you neeed to look at situations more completely before a comment like that.
of course not---learning how the system works without a cap would be waste (b/c i'm hoping it returns)...that and I am speculating from work. But my brief understanding is that is the player qualifies as a RFA (even if not tendered or low tendered) then they are fair game for the final 4.
I was being a smart ass...and "not very bright" seems to be the way of life on this board when FA comes around. So I mine as well join the party.
I would absolutely LOVE this move. It's baffling to me that they'd only take RFR on him, but if it's true he'd be a VERY high priority. I'm sure we could poison pill the Rams out of matching, too.
"If on the Rams roster and the Rams go under .500 in 2010 then OJ's contract not only doubles in value it becomes 100% guaranteed"
We could always go with the old "more than 4 games played in the state of Missouri" one. Always a fan.
The Rams are reportedly "seriously considering" placing the lowest possible tender on restricted free agent FS O.J. Atogwe. The tender is called "right of first refusal," and would allow St. Louis to match any offer sheet Atogwe receives, but give the team no draft pick in return. The designation would also cost the Rams $5.75 million less than giving Atogwe a typically mandated 10-percent raise on his 2009 salary ($6.976 million). It could also create a lot of bad blood between the team and player.
If thats what happens, where there is zero draft pick compensation for signing him to a sheet, then we need to offer him a deal he can't refuse.
It's done. No compensation if anyone manages to sign Atogwe and the Rams don't match. As a franchise player last year, the compensation-based tenders started at about $7 million. They weren't going to pay that again. The Rams will try to match anything Atogwe signed, but they were put in a terrible position. I go back to my earlier statement. Sign him to a contract with the poison pill.
