Tag: Emmanuel Ogbah

Falcons named ideal landing spot for edge rusher at trade deadline

Falcons named ideal landing spot for veteran edge rusher ahead of NFL trade deadline…

The Atlanta Falcons are in good shape entering Week 8 of the 2024 NFL season, but there’s one clear issue the team must address in order to secure a postseason berth.

For years, the Falcons’ pass rush has been a problem, particularly their lack of sacks. In 2024, the team is ranked last in the NFL with six sacks in seven games. Even the lowly Carolina Panthers have more sacks than the Falcons.

Despite trading for Matthew Judon in August, the team has not consistently been able to apply pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Judon and defensive lineman Grady Jarrett are tied for the team lead in sacks with 1.5 each.

Could Atlanta make another move for an edge rusher ahead of the 2024 NFL trade deadline? Tyler Dragon of USA TODAY Sports suggested the Falcons trade for Dolphins edge Emmanuel Ogbah:

The Falcons have an NFL-low six sacks this season. Atlanta traded for Matthew Judon in August. However, Judon’s generated just 1.5 sacks. Judon’s seen his fair share of chip blocks and an occasional double teams. The Falcons can assist Judon by adding another veteran pass rusher opposite him. — Tyler Dragon, USA TODAY Sports

Ogbah, 30, has more sacks (2.0) than any player currently on the roster. The veteran edge rusher also has 18 tackles and five QB hits this season. Over his first nine NFL seasons, Ogbah has 44.5 sacks and 106 QB hits.

Atlanta has plenty of depth at defensive tackle, but besides Judon, the edge rushers have been underwhelming. Arnold Ebiketie has yet to become the difference maker the team drafted him to be in the second round of the 2022 draft.

DeAngelo Malone gets almost no playing time, and Lorenzo Carter, who suffered a concussion, is now on the injured reserve list. With rookie defensive end Bralen Trice also on injured reserve, it does make sense to upgrade the position.

James Smith-Williams will have to hold down the fort until general manager Terry Fontenot makes his next move.

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Dolphins list Jevon Holland, 6 others inactive vs. Colts

The Dolphins ruled out Jevon Holland, Emmanuel Ogbah, and five others ahead of kickoff vs. the Colts.

The Miami Dolphins will officially be without safety Jevón Holland and outside linebacker Emmanuel Ogbah when they play the Indianapolis Colts in Week 7.

On Sunday, the Dolphins listed Holland, Ogbah, and five others inactive for the Sunday matchup at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Holland’s absence isn’t much of a surprise after he was listed doubtful by the Dolphins in their final injury report Friday.

Ogbah was one of five Miami players who entered Sunday as questionable. Three of the other four — Odell Beckham Jr., Austin Jackson, and David Long Jr. — are active. The fourth was quarterback Skylar Thompson, who is an emergency third passer for the Dolphins behind Tyler Huntley and Tim Boyle.

For the Colts, running back Jonathan Taylor and linebacker E.J. Speed are among the inactives:

Wide receivers Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs, and Alec Pierce were all questionable for Indianapolis, but the entire trio is set to play Sunday.

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Anthony Weaver: Dolphins veteran is ‘what you hope Mohamed Kamara grows into’

Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver says the team has the perfect role model for fifth-round rookie Mohamed Kamara.

Miami Dolphins fifth-round rookie Mohamed Kamara still hasn’t made his NFL debut. While he’s on the 53-man roster, the outside linebacker was a healthy scratch in the first four weeks as the team patiently develops the former Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year.

The hope, according to Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, is that they can get Kamara to become a lot like current starting outside linebacker Emmanuel Ogbah.

“He’s essentially what you hope Mohamed [Kamara] grows into,” Weaver told reporters Thursday. “He is an enforcer and you saw it multiple times in that game. He sets a firm edge. He can intimidate you with just his sheer size and will and his ability to stick his face in the fan. And then as a rusher, he’s not just a power guy, there’s a little finesse aspect and great hand usage to it, too.

“To me, he’s the perfect guy for Mohamed to watch and kind of see what he can take from him and then add to his game.”

Ogbah, 30, came into the league with higher expectations than Kamara as the No. 32 overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft. But it took time for him to find his footing in the league. After 12.5 sacks in three years with the Cleveland Browns, Ogbah was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs for backup safety Eric Murray.

It wasn’t until 2020 that Ogbah broke out with back-to-back seasons with nine sacks as a member of the Dolphins.

Kamara may be a similar late bloomer, but Weaver has high hopes for the rookie.

“He’s a guy that’s rugged, tough,” Weaver said of Kamara. “You talk about he should be a firm edge setter, be able to reduce him to a three technique and rush him there if need be, but he needs to be like your topflight security of the world. He needs to be the protector and be the enforcer on the field, and I’ve kind of tasked him with that since he’s been here.”

With Jaelan Phillips done for the year with a knee injury, it may be time for Kamara to see his first NFL snaps. However, the arrival of veteran Tyus Bowser could mean play time for Kamara remains scarce. In the meantime, he can spend the next few months continuing to learn in hopes of eventually becoming the Dolphins’ next Ogbah.

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Watch: Emmanuel Ogbah catches an interception with his knees

When an easy interception went through Emmanuel Ogbah’s hands, he still found a way to make the play.

Miami Dolphins outside linebacker Emmanuel Ogbah recorded the second interception of his career early Monday night, and he had more success hauling in the ball with his legs rather than his hands.

When Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis fired a ball straight to Ogbah, it went right through the pass rusher’s hands. But he managed to squeeze his knees together in time to hang on to an unlikely pick.

 

The Dolphins fooled Levis on the play with a disguised blitz that sent Jalen Ramsey tearing off the right side of the offensive line and dropped Ogbah into coverage.

While Ogbah isn’t known for his coverage skills, a turnover is nothing new for the Titans offense. Levis, a second-year quarterback threw five interceptions in the first three weeks and fumbled three times. Miami’s eight turnovers entering Week 4 led the NFL.

The first interception of Ogbah’s career came just last season when a pass from the Denver Broncos’ Russell Wilson was tipped by Da’Shawn Hand at the line of scrimmage.

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3 Dolphins change jersey numbers ahead of 2024 opener

Three Dolphins players made number swaps now that training camp is over.

A lot of jersey numbers became newly available last week when the Miami Dolphins cut their active roster from 90 players to 53, and a handful of players pounced at the chance to make a swap.

At practice Monday, three Dolphins were spotted wearing new numbers:

  • DL Da’Shawn Hand changed from No. 91 to No. 90
  • S Marcus Maye changed from No. 46 to No. 26
  • OLB Emmanuel Ogbah changed from No. 51 to No. 91

Ogbah wore the No. 91 jersey in each of his first four seasons with the Dolphins. When he was released earlier this year, Hand inherited the number after giving up his No. 93 to the newly acquired Calais Campbell. For the second time this year, Hand accommodated a teammate by changing his number.

Maye wore No. 26 in his first two seasons with the New York Jets before swapping to No. 20 in his last three years. He later wore No. 6 with the New Orleans Saints.

When Maye arrived with the Dolphins in June, his three former numbers were occupied by Anthony Walker Jr. (No. 6), Jordyn Brooks (No. 20), and Salvon Ahmed (No. 26). Both Walker and Brooks still own those jerseys, but Ahmed was released by the Dolphins in August. The No. 26 then briefly belonged to Zander Horvath, who was waived Tuesday.

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Emmanuel Ogbah has ‘unfinished business’ with Dolphins

Emmanuel Ogbah says he chose to rejoin the Dolphins over another option, because he has more to do in Miami.

When Emmanuel Ogbah was released by the Miami Dolphins in February, he didn’t think his time with the team was completely over. He just didn’t think the reunion would come so soon.

“I honestly wouldn’t have believed it, but I always knew I was going to be back here eventually,” Ogbah told reporters Thursday. “I have unfinished business here, so that’s what I’m ready to take care of here.”

Ogbah, 30, first joined the Dolphins in 2020 on a two-year deal and signed a four-year extension with the team in 2022. But following the departure of Brian Flores and the emergence of Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips, Ogbah’s role diminished and he was released by Miami in February with two years left on his deal.

For five months, Ogbah sat on the free agency market until the surprising retirement of Shaquil Barrett opened up a spot on the Dolphins’ roster.

“I had all the time in the world to get ready, mentally prepare, physically prepare, just to get ready for this season,” Ogbah said. I didn’t know where I was going to be, but I’m just happy to be here.

“It came down to two teams, and I picked Miami because I feel like unfinished business here, so that’s why I’m excited to be back.”

The Dolphins could use early results from Ogbah. Both Chubb and Phillips are on the PUP list as they continue to recover from injuries that ended their respective 2023 campaigns. Miami also drafted Chop Robinson and Mohamed Kamara, but expecting rookie pass rushers to be productive is a lot to ask.

Ogbah’s contributions could be crucial while Chubb and Phillips get back up to speed. And he has plenty of motivation to prove his reunion with the Dolphins is a worthwhile one.

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Dolphins reportedly signing DE Emmanuel Ogbah again

Emmanuel Ogbah’s time with the Dolphins isn’t over after all.

Emmanuel Ogbah’s tenure with the Miami Dolphins isn’t over after all. The pass rusher is re-signing with the team, according to multiple reports, five months after he was released by the Dolphins in February.

Ogbah, 30, first joined Miami as a free agent in 2020 and recorded nine sacks in two seasons with the team. That was enough to earn him a four-year, $65 million extension in 2022, but Ogbah’s production tailed off with the emergence of Jaelan Phillips, the arrival of Bradley Chubb, and the departure of Brian Flores.

With two years left on his deal, the Dolphins released Ogbah earlier this year to save $13.7 million in salary cap space for the 2024 season.

Plans changed for Miami when free agent addition Shaquil Barrett opted to retire just a few months after signing with the Dolphins earlier this year. The team brought free agents Yannick Ngakoue and Ogbah in for workouts Monday and decided to sign the latter.

Ogbah has 42.5 career sacks with 24.5 of those recorded during his four seasons with the Dolphins.

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Dolphins to host Yannick Ngakoue for workout, per agent

Yannick Ngakoue will join Emmanuel Ogbah in auditioning to fill Shaq Barrett’s spot on the Dolphins’ roster.

Emmanuel Ogbah won’t be the only pass rusher auditioning for a contract with the Miami Dolphins on Monday. According to agent Drew Rosenhaus, his client Yannick Ngakoue will also be at the team’s facility in hopes of filling Shaquil Barrett’s spot on the roster.

Ngakoue, 29, has been a pass rushing mercenary who has been on six different teams since 2019. He burst on to the scene with the Jacksonville Jaguars, racking up 37.5 sacks and a trip to the Pro Bowl in his first four seasons. Since then, he’s tallied another 31.5 sacks in stints with the Vikings, Ravens, Raiders, Colts, and Bears over the last four years.

While run defense has never been a strength for Ngakoue, he’s started 115 of the 123 games he’s played in his career.

The Dolphins may be in need of a short-term starter with Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips set to begin training camp on the PUP list after season-ending injuries in 2023.

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Dolphins to reportedly host Emmanuel Ogbah for workout

Does a reunion with Emmanuel Ogbah make sense following the retirement of Shaquil Barrett?

The Miami Dolphins may reunite with Emmanuel Ogbah after releasing the veteran pass rusher earlier this year. According to Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network, the team intends to host Ogbah for a workout Monday.

The Dolphins find themselves suddenly in need of pass rushing help after the abrupt and surprising retirement of Shaquil Barrett who signed with the team earlier this year. While Miami has the duo of Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips, both will begin training camp on the PUP list as they continue to rehab injuries that ended their respective 2023 seasons.

Ogbah, 30, first joined the Dolphins as a free agent in 2020 and finished with nine sacks in each of his first two seasons with the team. But with the departure of Brian Flores, the emergence of Phillips, and the arrival of Chubb, Ogbah’s role was diminished and he finished the last two seasons with 6.5 combined sacks.

But with neither Chubb nor Phillips at full strength and a pair of rookies (Chop Robinson and Mohamed Kamara) behind them on the depth chart, Ogbah could be a good fit in Anthony Weaver’s defense.

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ESPN: Carl Lawson should be final Seahawks move before 2024 season

According to Aaron Schatz, the Seahawks should sign Carl Lawson as their final move before the 2024 season begins.

The Seahawks were pretty broke until they restructured the contract for Dre’Mont Jones, freeing up around $7.4 million for the 2024 season. That brings their total cap room to roughly $8.5 million. That’s plenty to sign emergency free agents in the event of injuries during the middle of the seasons, but they also have enough to sign at least one more potential starter before the games begin.

One need they may have is at inside linebacker, where both projected starters (Tyrel Dodson and Jerome Baker) are currently injured. However, they could also use another edge rusher to help out Uchenna Nwosu and Boye Mafe. That’s what ESPN is suggesting they do with exactly one month to go before veterans report for training camp.

According to Aaron Schatz, the Seahawks should sign former Jets and Bengals edge rusher Carl Lawson as their final move before the 2024 season begins.

“The Seahawks could use more camp competition at center for Olu Oluwatimi and Nick Harris, but the remaining free agent centers did not rate well in pressure rate allowed last season. So instead, let me suggest more defensive depth. You can never have too many pass-rushers to rotate in, and while Lawson only played six games last season, he’s still just two seasons removed from his seven-sack year with the Jets. He wouldn’t cost much, and there’s a good upside there.”

Lawson (6-foot-2, 265 pounds) will turn 29 next week. After playing his college ball at Auburn, he was picked by the Bengals in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL draft. Lawson appeared in 51 games over the next four seasons in Cincinnati, then he moved onto the Jets in 2022. After a resurgent 2022 campaign, Lawson only played six games last season before suffering a season-ending Achilles tear. All together, he has played in 74 games, totaling 27 sacks, 107 quarterback hits and 28 tackles for a loss.

Seattle can certainly use more pass-rushing firepower. However, there are better options on the market and we’d prefer they target someone like Emmanuel Ogbah, who’s been more productive getting to the QB, has more experience and isn’t coming off a major injury.

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