Alec Ogletree - Pro Football Rumors

LB Alec Ogletree Announces Retirement

June 21st, 2023 at 4:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

Alec Ogletree made an effort to play a 10th season last year, but the veteran linebacker will not aim to suit up this season. The former first-round pick announced his retirement (Instagram link).

One of the more successful players to enter the league from the much-maligned 2013 first round, Ogletree secured a Rams extension and started 110 games across a career spent in St. Louis, Los Angeles, New York (with the Giants and Jets) and Chicago. Ogletree picked up a second-team All-Pro honor (in 2016) and finished his career as a full-time starter, lining up with the Bears’ first-stringers throughout the 2021 season.

Known best for his Rams tenure, the off-ball linebacker began as a No. 30 overall pick during Jeff Fisher‘s regime. Fisher and then-second-year GM Les Snead signed off on the linebacker in a two-first-rounder Rams draft, which began with Tavon Austin going eighth overall. Both players fetched extensions from the Rams, but Ogletree made a bigger impact. His 2016 second-team All-Pro season included a career-high 136 tackles (nine for loss), two interceptions and a forced fumble.

That showing earned Ogletree a four-year, $42MM extension in October 2017. Despite the Rams changing HCs by hiring Sean McVay in 2017, they signed off on keeping Ogletree. Though, they reversed course during the ’18 offseason by trading the contract to the Giants. Ogletree, who combined to force 10 fumbles over his first two seasons, led the Rams in tackles during each of the four seasons he finished with the team.

The Giants kept the Georgia alum on that contract for two seasons, and he posted two pick-sixes during his Big Blue debut slate. The Giants had traded fourth- and sixth-round picks to the Rams for Ogletree and a seventh. A 2020 release led Ogletree to the Jets, with whom he only played two games. Despite the Jets cutting bait in October 2020 and Ogletree not playing again that season, he stepped in as a Bears full-timer to close out his career. In 16 Chicago starts, Ogletree made 87 tackles in 2021.

Ogletree, 31, collected just more than $40MM during his NFL run. He added 12 INTs and 7.5 sacks to a resume that includes 766 tackles (49 for loss).

AFC Workouts: Raiders, James, Clement

September 2nd, 2022 at 9:08pm CST by Ely Allen

Las Vegas seems to be trying to fill in a few gaps all over the roster. Over the past two days, the Raiders have kicked the tires on an offensive lineman, a pair of linebackers, and a couple of defensive backs.

On Thursday, Las Vegas took a look at former Colts’ draft pick Joe Haeg, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. Haeg started 14 games for Indianapolis as a rookie after being selected in the fifth round in 2015. Haeg suffered an ankle injury in 2018 that landed him on injured reserve, and he never quite came back to his former status as a starter. He spent two separate seasons as a backup lineman for the Buccaneers and Steelers before Pittsburgh released him to make room for offensive lineman Jesse Davis, whom they acquired in a trade on cut-day. Haeg is visiting multiple teams, according to Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, so no deal is currently imminent.

The Raiders also brought in two high former draft picks to audition for linebacker roster spots, trying out Alec Ogletree and Reggie Ragland, according to Field Yates of ESPN. Despite creeping up on 31-years-old, Ogletree has been a serviceable starter for every team he’s played on over the years, except for the Jets who released him early into the 2020 season. Since being drafted by the Chiefs in 2016, Ragland has been a spot starter for Kansas City, Detroit, and New York. He has a working relationship with Las Vegas defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, who held the same position with the Giants last year.

Graham looked at another familiar face when the Raiders auditioned defensive back Jarren Williams, who spent the last two seasons with the Giants as a reserve cornerback. Las Vegas also took a look at cornerback T.J. Carrie who was a seventh-round pick for the team in 2014. Carrie looks to return to the organization after two stints as a rotational cornerback with the Browns and Colts.

Here’s a look at a couple of other workouts from around the league, starting with a tight end visiting a division rival of his former team:

The Browns worked out tight end Jesse James yesterday, according to Yates. James spent his rookie deal as the main tight end in Pittsburgh. Since then, he’s spent time in the NFC North with the Lions and Bears. After releasing Austin Hooper back in March, Cleveland hold only David Njoku and Harrison Bryant on the 53-man roster. James holds some receiving ability, but has taken a role lately as more of a blocker, something the Browns could use more of in the tight end room.
The day after roster cuts, the Jaguars brought in running back Corey Clement for a work out, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. The team ended up claiming JaMycal Hasty off the waiver wire from the 49ers, filling their fourth running back roster spot, so Clement will have to keep searching for his next NFL job.

Bears To Place LB Danny Trevathan On IR

September 1st, 2021 at 10:35am CST by Sam Robinson

Danny Trevathan is likely to begin his season late. The Bears are expected to stash the veteran linebacker on IR to start the year, according to the Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs (on Twitter).

The 10th-year vet missed time with a knee injury during Chicago’s training camp. Landing on IR will sideline Trevathan for at least the first three games. The Bears appear to have prepared for such a scenario, having kept seven inside linebackers on their 53-man roster.

One member of that septet is Alec Ogletree, a former starter who has bounced around the league in recent years. Ogletree’s recent nomadic status aside, Biggs adds he should be expected to take Trevathan’s place alongside Roquan Smith as a starter in Week 1 (Twitter link). The Bears signed the former first-round pick just after training camp began.

Trevathan, 31, has been a Bears starter since the team signed him in 2016. The former Broncos sixth-round pick and two-time Super Bowl starter has battled multiple significant injuries during his Chicago stay, but he started 16 games and made 113 tackles in 2020 to help the Bears return to the playoffs. The Bears have Trevathan signed through 2022, via the three-year deal he inked last March.

Bears To Sign Alec Ogletree

August 4th, 2021 at 2:00pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Another longtime veteran has found a new home early in training camp. The Bears are signing free agent linebacker Alec Ogletree, a source told Mike Garafolo of NFL Network (Twitter link).

This is the first we’ve heard of Ogletree since the Jets cut him all the way back in October of last year. A first-round pick of the Rams in 2013, Ogletree’s NFL career got off to a very solid start. In his first two seasons with the Rams he had ten forced fumbles and three interceptions. In each of his four healthy seasons with the Rams he had at least 10 passes defended, and he was a second-team All-Pro in 2016.

That earned him a four-year, $42.75MM extension in 2017, but he quickly fell out of favor with the new coaching staff in Los Angeles. He was traded to the Giants for a fourth and sixth-round pick, and spent the next two seasons in New York. He started 26 games in those two years with the Giants, but was released in February of 2020. Ogletree latched on with the Jets, where he was released after just a couple games.

Despite the significant tread on his tires, he’s still only 29. Presumably signed for close to the veteran’s minimum, he’ll now be a depth option behind Roquan Smith and Danny Trevathan at inside linebacker for Chicago.

Jets Release LB Alec Ogletree

October 10th, 2020 at 3:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

Alec Ogletree‘s atypical stay with the Jets may be at an end. The Jets announced they have released the veteran linebacker, doing so to make room for Le’Veon Bell‘s return and practice squad promotions.

The Jets could stash Ogletree back on their practice squad, which is how he originally caught on with Gang Green despite his seven seasons of experience as a starter. Ogletree does not have to go through waivers, with the trade deadline not yet here, so the former first-round pick is back in free agency.

A two-year Giants starter and five-year Rams first-stringer before heading to New York, Ogletree played in two Jets games. He made one start, upon being promoted from the Jets’ taxi squad in Week 2. After not playing in Week 3, the 29-year-old defender saw action in a reserve capacity last week. Ogletree played 56% of Gang Green’s snaps in both Week 2 and Week 4.

While Bell is officially back on the Jets’ active roster, the team also promoted quarterback Mike White, offensive lineman Jimmy Murray and cornerback Lamar Jackson. They also waived wide receiver Josh Malone.

With Sam Darnold out against the Cardinals, the Jets are starting Joe Flacco. They also have James Morgan on their active roster; White will make four QBs on the team’s 55-man Sunday roster. A former Cowboys fifth-round pick in 2018, White has not dressed for a game.

Jets Promote Alec Ogletree To Active Roster

September 19th, 2020 at 4:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

One of several high-profile veterans to agree to join a practice squad in this unusual NFL season, Alec Ogletree will be in a more familiar position Sunday.

The Jets are promoting the veteran linebacker to their active roster. Ogletree was a free agent for several months before agreeing to stay in New York on a Jets practice squad deal.

Ogletree started for two seasons with the Giants, with that tenure coming after a five-year Rams run. Although advanced metrics were not especially high on the veteran defender during his Giants stay, he intercepted five passes and returned two for scores in a productive 2018 season. The Giants, however, made Ogletree a cap casualty earlier this year and then devoted much of those funds to paying Blake Martinez.

Avery Williamson is questionable to play against the 49ers on Sunday, and the Jets are without C.J. Mosley because of his opt-out decision. Ogletree, still just 28, has made 93 starts. Should he not start for the Jets on Sunday, it will mark his first time as a game-day backup since going in the 2013 first round. Ogletree played for current Jets DC Gregg Williams during the latter’s final three Rams seasons (2014-16).

The Jets also promoted running back Josh Adams and wide receiver Josh Malone to their active roster, using the 2020 practice squad elevation option for the two skill-position players. Gang Green has run into extensive injury trouble at wideout and placed Le’Veon Bell on IR this week.

Jets Sign Alec Ogletree To Practice Squad

September 10th, 2020 at 8:46am CST by Zachary Links

The Jets have signed former Giants linebacker Alec Ogletree to the practice squad, per a club announcement. He’ll be joined by wide receiver Jaleel Scott, a former fourth-round pick of the Ravens.

The Giants dropped Ogletree in February to save roughly $8MM against the cap. Just a couple of years ago, GM Dave Gettleman acquired him and the remainder of his four-year, $42MM extension from the Rams. The traditional stats have portrayed Ogletree as a consistently productive player – he has several 100+ tackle seasons to his credit, plus 12 interceptions and four pick-sixes for his career. The advanced metrics haven’t lined up, however, and Ogletree didn’t produce for the G-Men. Instead, they shed his salary and replaced him with newcomer Blake Martinez.

Now with the other tenants of the Meadowlands, Ogletree will be at the ready as an emergency call-up. The Jets project to start the year with Neville Hewitt and Avery Williamson as their starting inside linebackers with support from Harvey Langi and Blake Cashman.

Bears Work Out LB Alec Ogletree

August 28th, 2020 at 4:44pm CST by Sam Robinson

After more than six months in free agency, Alec Ogletree has resurfaced on the NFL radar. The Bears brought in the former Rams first-round pick for a Friday workout, per Albert Breer of SI.com (on Twitter).

The Giants made Ogletree a cap casualty in February. This marks the first Ogletree news since then. The 29-year-old linebacker started 26 games for the Giants over the past two seasons, but the team dropped him before signing Blake Martinez to a lucrative deal.

Ogletree was largely unable to live up to his four-year, $42MM Rams extension in New York, but he did produce in 2018. The former No. 30 overall pick intercepted five passes and notched two defensive touchdowns in his first Giants season. He has started at least 15 games in a season four times (all with the Rams) and has four defensive TDs and 12 forced fumbles on his resume as well.

In Danny Trevathan and Roquan Smith, the Bears have two clear starters at linebacker. Behind them, however, Chicago’s roster houses 2018 fourth-round pick Joel Iyiegbuniwe and two recent UDFAs. Despite suiting up for 31 career games, Iyiegbuniwe has played just 26 defensive snaps. Both Smith and Trevathan have battled injuries in recent years, and the Bears lost longtime backup/spot starter Nick Kwiatkoski in free agency.

Giants Release Alec Ogletree, Kareem Martin

February 26th, 2020 at 10:34am CST by Zachary Links

The Giants have released linebackers Alec Ogletree and Kareem Martin, per a club announcement. By cutting the two veterans, the Giants will save roughly $10MM against the 2020 salary cap.

The Giants acquired Ogletree via trade with the Rams in 2018. Despite his experience and soft hands (he has a dozen interceptions to his credit), the savings were too good to pass up. Ogletree appeared in 26 games for the G-Men in his two seasons and led the team with 173 stops in that span. He also set the franchise record for INTs by an LB in 2018 with five picks – two of which were brought back for touchdowns.

Martin joined the Giants on the same week as Ogletree. In his first campaign, Martin had perfect attendance with seven starts at linebacker and notched a career-high 48 tackles with 1.5 sacks. Last year, a Week 1 knee injury pretty much wiped out his season. He played in just five contests and logged a grand total of six tackles. He had one more year to go on his deal, but few expected him to see that final season.

By dropping Ogletree and Martin, the Giants will head into March with approximately $70MM in breathing room.

Release Candidate: Alec Ogletree

February 13th, 2020 at 10:43am CST by Rory Parks

Giants GM Dave Gettleman is entering a make-or-break offseason. While plenty of fans were clamoring for his ouster at the conclusion of the 2019 campaign, team ownership elected to give him another shot to right the ship, but if Big Blue should disappoint again in 2020, Gettleman will almost certainly be gone.

So he needs to tread carefully when navigating free agency and the draft and in determining which players to jettison from the roster. LB Alec Ogletree, whom Gettleman acquired via trade with the Rams in 2018, presents an interesting case study in that regard.

Ogletree, a former first-round pick of the then-St. Louis Rams in 2013, has never been an advanced metrics darling. But he has been a full-time starter throughout his first seven years in the league, and he has even been something of a playmaker, accumulating 12 interceptions and four pick-sixes in his career. He typically plays all or almost all of his team’s defensive snaps, and in the years in which he has played a full 16-game slate, he has recorded well over 100 tackles.

On the other hand, the only Ogletree team that has qualified for the postseason was the 2017 Rams, so perhaps Ogletree’s playing time and the raw numbers that go along with that are attributable at least in part to the fact that he hasn’t played on particularly good clubs. He has never made the Pro Bowl and has not quite lived up to his status as a first-round pick, which suggests that the Giants could part ways with him this offseason and save $8.25MM against the cap in the process.

That savings must look tempting to Gettleman, but keeping the Georgia product also has its merits. Although the Giants do not lead the league in cap space, their $61MM of estimated room is nothing to sneeze at, so the financial benefits of releasing Ogletree are not as critical as they might otherwise be. And the team’s defense is young and will be learning a new scheme under DC Patrick Graham, so Ogletree’s experience and leadership could be a boon to Graham’s unit. Plus, Gettleman has never been one to put much stock in advanced metrics, so the fact that Ogletree doesn’t score highly in that department probably doesn’t bother him too much (though he did dangle Ogletree in trade talks in advance of the 2019 deadline).

Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv recently suggested that a pay cut may be in the cards, and it’s easy to see why. Ogletree is certainly not worth the $10MM he is due to make in base salary in 2020, and he would not fetch that much on the open market. A reduction, though, may still pay him more than he would earn as a free agent, it would give him a shot at staying with the Giants in 2021 and earning the $9MM that he is due for that season, and the Giants would get a little more cap flexibility.

That sounds like a win-win for both sides, but if Ogletree doesn’t agree to a pay cut, either on principle or because he might want an opportunity to catch on with a team that gives him a better chance at a title, he could be playing elsewhere in 2020.