O.J. Atogwe - what say Patsfans - New England Patriots Forums

Mogamedogz · 01-29-2009, 03:37 PM

I wonder how much it would cost to net him in FA. I love Rodney as much as the next guy, but the prospect of Atogwe and Merriweather holding down the FS/SS positions in '09 is enough to make me feel tingly all over.

***KontradictioN*** · 01-29-2009, 03:40 PM

Is he a hitter? If we're going to replace Rodney, we're going to need to replace him with someone who will punish receivers and make them fear coming over the middle. I checked his stats and he had a pretty solid amount of tackles this year with six INTs.

Mogamedogz · 01-29-2009, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KontradictioN

Is he a hitter? If we're going to replace Rodney, we're going to need to replace him with someone who will punish receivers and make them fear coming over the middle. I checked his stats and he had a pretty solid amount of tackles this year with six INTs.

Oh yeah... He can hit and has amazing playmaking skills. Dude's a stud. he's just been hidden in St. Louie.

miDeuce · 01-29-2009, 03:49 PM

I think he would be exactly the ball hawk this defense needs. Whether or not the Pats can sign him is the big question, he's the top FA safety available and will surely draw a lot attention. Here's an article I wrote for bleacher report about why the Pats need him...

jays52 · 01-29-2009, 03:52 PM

Atogwe and Meriweather would combine for 10 picks a season in this scheme.

If Meri can add 10-15lbs and play in that 220-230 range without losing his speed and agility, that would be the best safety tandem in the NFL for 5 years.

Tyler.Durden · 01-29-2009, 04:10 PM

yea he is a great player, would be a good addition.

Seneschal2 · 01-29-2009, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mogamedogz

I wonder how much it would cost to net him in FA. I love Rodney as much as the next guy, but the prospect of Atogwe and Merriweather holding down the FS/SS positions in '09 is enough to make me feel tingly all over.

Atogwe happens to be my #1 FA target. Here's my post from this thread:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seneschal2

...Also of note, Atogwe was one of the official pre-draft visits of the Pats. I haven't followed his pro career, but was very high on him while he was at Stanford.

---

Quote:

Originally Posted by miDeuce

I think he would be exactly the ball hawk this defense needs. Whether or not the Pats can sign him is the big question, he's the top FA safety available and will surely draw a lot attention. Here's an article I wrote for bleacher report about why the Pats need him...

Good article. The fact the Pats showed interest in him pre-draft, combined with the following excerpt, may hopefully make him a very secret target for BB:

Quote:

Atogwe is a playmaker, coming off a season in which he recorded five interceptions and six forced fumbles, while winning the Rams' defensive MVP award. And, at 27 years old, he's just entering the prime of his career.

billdog3484 · 01-29-2009, 05:42 PM

hes definitely an upgrade over james sanders

miDeuce · 01-29-2009, 06:30 PM

I asked Reiss what he thought of Sanders/Atogwe, here's what he replied...

Quote:

Mike, I think Sanders is a great locker-room guy and an effective starter who aids the overall communication on the back end of the defense. On the downside, I think he sometimes takes bad angles while attempting to make tackles, which has hurt the Patriots at times. He's also not a speed burner. I don't envision him as the type of player that the Patriots will extend themselves financially to retain. So if the numbers are reasonable from a team perspective, I think they'd be glad to have him back. Time will tell if the sides are on the same page with that. On Atogwe, as we saw at Gillette Stadium this past season, he is a ballhawk. I don't envision the Patriots getting into a bidding war for him.

Seneschal2 · 01-29-2009, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reiss

On Atogwe, as we saw at Gillette Stadium this past season, he is a ballhawk. I don't envision the Patriots getting into a bidding war for him.

The Pats usually don't outbid anyone. But $$$ is not the primary reason Atogwe would sign with us. A winning tradition, being BB coached, and the opportunity to pair up with a good young Safety named Meriweather, are all sound reasons to arrive on the Pats threshold.