HERALD: Wannstedt reassures Ogunleye

[Dolfan954]

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sports/football/8644780.htm

Dolphins coach Dave Wannstedt spoke to restricted free agent defensive end Adewale Ogunleye by telephone this week and expressed confidence the sides will reach a contract agreement this offseason, Ogunleye's agent said Tuesday.

Although Ogunleye was not available for comment, agent Drew Rosenhaus said the team has ''indicated they likely will offer us a contract other than the [one-year, $1.8 million tender].''

Also from the article:

''I don't think anyone would have ill fillings [if he held out],'' defensive lineman Larry Chester said during a recent minicamp. ''Of course, he would be welcomed back. Whatever he has to do to get what he feels like, we're behind him. We understand it's a business.''

Hopefully this will quiet down all the people who think the the players are naive, and that they would hold a contract negotiation against him personally.

 

[Nublar7]

He's coming back! I see him back with the Fins in the next two weeks. Wouldn't be suprised if they tried to get him back before the May 18th Mini Camp.

 

[Finfan80]

Would be great news...
In a way this situation reminds me of what Oronde went through, though the results for him were not good! Played his heart out for the Fins, was faced with a choice mid-way through the season of playing through an injury he had sustained (which might make it worse, or end his career) or having season-ending surgery. Having seen what happened to OJ McDuffie earlier (forced to play through injury, which worsened it and shortened his career) but also being told by the FO that surgery would hurt his contract negotiations, he chose surgery...
Football is a business, and nobody looks out for the players but themselves -if they don't negotiate a good contract and then end out with career threatening injuries they could be left high and dry. Both Ogun and Oronde had very small initial contracts due to the way they entered the league, neither contract likely gave enough to retire on should their careers end at 30 (I know the numbers sound large, hundreds of thousands, but if you retire at 30 and have 42+ years of life expectancy left, you have to have saved a bundle!)
We always hear about greedy players holding out, we never hear about stingy FO's not giving a guy what he could get if the NFL were truly a free market. It's the nature of the beast when we see all the 000's in the figure the guy is asking for, but if the market weren't there, nobody would pay it!
It's a business, it sounds like Ogun and the Fins are finally getting their heads where they need to be, I hope this works out!

 

[SMadison29]

That's a little bit of good news, too bad it was Wanny making the phone call, the man who has no personel power. It would have been better if it were Rick.

 

[PhinstiGator]

That's a little bit of good news, too bad it was Wanny making the phone call, the man who has no personel power. It would have been better if it were Rick.

Ricks job is to talk to the AGENT. Wannstedt should not get any grief for calling one of his players on his team.

Wannstedt was also the one who called Vernon Carey the night before the draft. It has nothing to do with personel power. The Dolphins want him on this team. Wannstedt communicated that to the player. Spielman has to get a reasonable contract done with the agent. They are on the same team (stating the obvious).

 

[LoXiN]

This is good but nothing new. Wanny has said that in the past about players who were then never re-signed. He also doesnt have any power over the situation so what he says doesnt matter.

 

[LarryFinFan]

80...the OG situation and the Ogun situation are very different. True, OG played his heart out, but the injury he had was not career threatening. He choose surgery instead of playing thru it. Had he played thru that finger injury, he would more than likely have put up decent numbers and would have at least received more interest upon becoming a FA. Because he chose the surgery, he lowered his FA value. OG was a solid reciever, but not the quality of player that Ogun is. Ogun is coming off a PB season, 24 1/2 sacks the last two years. But the Fins paid for him to rehab and sit on the roster until he could play again...that cost us 2 years of time the FO might have been able to bring in someone else who could contribute. But OG had his 4 years in prior to becoming a RFA in where Ogun does not. This coming year is his RFA year and he should do as the system indicates, sign his tender, get into camp and let his agent work on getting a better deal with the Fins, which they probably will anyways. His situation is different than most RFAs because he spent his first year on IR. I just see completely different situations. At any rate, the "poor" players OG and Ogun were not screwed by the Fins...they were treated as the CFA dictates they be treated....

 

[Phinsdude]

Why run the salary cap up the next couple of years is all I say. He aint worth the risk of losing someone else.

 

[Dol-Fan Dupree]

Don't forget, Miami did offer OG a pretty good contract.

 

[LoXiN]

Why run the salary cap up the next couple of years is all I say. He aint worth the risk of losing someone else.

Sure he is, Hes a solid DE.

 

[AZPHINFAN75]

Originally Posted by Phinsdude
Why run the salary cap up the next couple of years is all I say. He aint worth the risk of losing someone else.


Ogun is worth the money, and if they lock him up for several years we will have the best tandem of DE's in Football for several years. Both Offense and Defense have to have good lines to have good teams.

 

[Superself]

Why run the salary cap up the next couple of years is all I say. He aint worth the risk of losing someone else.

Ummm yeah, sure....its not like he hasn't done anything big lately like maybe lead the AFC in sacks or actually earn his probowl spot....sure those accolades are a done a dime a dozen by players on our team!

 

[LoXiN]

We already have the "Best DE pair in Football" ESPN (WHO NEVER GIVE THE DOLPHINS ANY LOVE) and SI.

 

[LoXiN]

Ummm yeah, sure....its not like he hasn't done anything big lately like maybe lead the AFC in sacks or actually earn his probowl spot....sure those accolades are a done a dime a dozen by players on our team!

Not only a probowl spot, but a probowl START.

 

[TRUDOLFAN54]

all people do is talk bad about dave and i really think he's done a great job we just have high expectations every year.he has done better than jimmy johnson remember him i do he sucked at coaching but could draft good.dave is a good coach a players coach thats why he isn't gm anymore cause he is a good coach and thats all he wants to be.