The Rams’ best player, defensive tackle Aaron Donald, is holding out as he seeks a new contract, but the news isn’t all bad: The team is working to lock up one of its other top defenders, linebacker Alec Ogletree.
“I still don’t have a deal yet but it’s in the works,” Ogletree told Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter link). “When it happens, it happens. It will get done eventually.”
The Rams have had interest in awarding a new deal to Ogletree since at least February 2016, and their extensive team control over him is likely a key reason why it hasn’t happened. That control is running out, though, as Ogletree is now in his fifth-year option season (at an $8.37MM salary). As such, the Rams are in danger of losing the 2013 first-round pick to free agency next winter.
Ogletree’s exit would cost Los Angeles one of its go-to guys, someone who started in all 16 games in 2016 and was the only one of its defenders to play all 1,090 of the unit’s snaps. In the process, the ex-Georgia Bulldog piled up impressive counting stats (136 tackles, two interceptions and a forced fumble), though Pro Football Focus ranked his performance a lackluster 56th among 86 qualified linebackers.
With the exception of his rookie season, PFF has typically assigned unfavorable marks to Ogletree. Nevertheless, aside from missing 12 games with a broken fibula in 2015, Ogletree is someone on whom the Rams have been able to rely. The 25-year-old has three 16-start, 100-tackle campaigns, 11 forced fumbles and five INTs under his belt, and the team apparently doesn’t want to let that type of production get away.
Loved this guy in college. And can make a lot of big plays, even if he can allow a few as a result. Go dawgs.
DGD… go dawgs!