Less than a year after signing a 5 year £26 million contract, safety OJ Atogwe has been released for the second time in two years. In 2011 the Rams released OJ because he was due a $8 million bonus, a hefty price to pay for any player let alone a safety. In 2012 the Redkins have decided that OJ is not worth the base salary of $3.4 million in 2012. A decision that not many Redskins fans are happy about if the SB Nation Redskins site Hogs Haven is anything to go by.
The interest here is that OJ is a free safety that a lot of Jets fans wanted to sign prior to the 2011 season. He has hardly had the best year with the Redskins battling injuries for the majority of the season. OJ played in 13 games starting 8 and finished with respectable numbers. 3 interceptions, 6 pass defences and 60 tackles to go with 0.5 sacks.
During the season Shanahan continued to use OJ in spot duty because he did not feel that he could play 100% due to injuries to his hamstring, knee and ankle injuries. However OJ disagreed with him and there seemed to be a little tension there as OJ was replaced by rookie DeJon Gomes.
OJ acknowledged himself that the 2011 season had not gone as imagined, but he remained confident despite this, and his numbers prior to joining the Redskins don't lie: 38 pass defences, 22 interceptions, 16 forced fumbles in six years with the Rams. Considered a play-maker and ball hawk, if he is healthy; he seems like a great fit for the Jets.
“Each one has had to go through different adversities, different challenges, so I don’t think I’m any different. I’ll just handle it the best way I know how: faithfully, being obedient to what the coaches want me to do and just persevere through it.”
After DeCoud re-signed, OJ Atogwe being cut could be the stroke of luck the Jets needed. I say lets go get him, as long as he passes his medicals without any problems.