The Miami Dolphins signed free-agent pass rusher Emmanuel Ogbah to a one-year deal worth north of $5 million Tuesday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The deal was negotiated by the defensive ends team, agent’s Drew Rosenhaus and Ryan Matha. The deal reunites Ogbah to the city of Miami once again after spending the last four seasons with the Dolphins.
Ogbah originally signed a four-year, $65 million extension with the Dolphins in 2022. Miami decided to cut the starting defensive end in March as a way to save themselves from additional cost while restructuring the roster. Ogbah, in his previous extension deal, was supposed to earn $14.925 million in 2024.
The Anticipation for the Return
The former Dolphin was hosted by Miami in a workout yesterday with fellow free agent Yannick Ngakoue. Both came in two days after two-time Super Bowl champion Shaquil Barrett announced his retirement from the NFL July 21. Ogbah was seen as the more natural choice due to his history with the recent roster and his experience being a comfortable NFL starter.
His signing comes in a crucial period for Miami. The Dolphins are less than a week away from the start of training camp. The immediate help will help Miami beef up on pass rushers. Defensive end Bradley Chubb and linebacker Jaelan Phillips were placed on the physically unable to perform list to open camp. Both defensive cornerstones suffered season-ending injuries late last season.
What to Expect in Ogbah’s Second Go in Miami
The addition of Ogbah brings immediate stability to the defensive line and another veteran to a fairly young group. The 30-year-old defensive end, through his eight-year career, has tallied 268 tackles, started 71 of 107 games, and sacked quarterbacks 42.5 times — 24.5 of them coming as a Dolphin.
Many teams showed interest in Ogbah throughout free agency. Including one report that said the Kansas City Chiefs were eyeing a reunion. Ogbah played on the 2019 Kansas City team that won Super Bowl LIV against the San Francisco 49ers. Similar to his time in Miami, the defensive end started in most of the games until his final days on the team. The added star power of Chubb and Phillips combined for a rough spot for Ogbah. The talent level from the duo sidelined him for most of the year.
Last season, former defensive coordinator Vic Fangio formulated the defense in a 3-4 scheme. The former Dolphin said that he is looking to get back to a 4-3 scheme. The good news for him is that it is now possible for Ogbah under new coordinator Anthony Weaver. The first-year defensive coordinator heading into his first training camp with Miami has already an off start with missing pieces in the defensive line.
Ogbah can take advantage of this by taking a lot of starting reps in camp. The 6-foot-4-inch defensive end will as well have better opportunities to compete on this current roster. Potentially, he can slide into a perfect fit in time for the regular season. The opportunity to run it back with the Dolphins is definitely a win-win for Ogbah as he gets ready for his training camp Saturday.
Main Image: Sam Navarro – USA Today Sports
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