June 30th, 2011 
Matt Loede 
Posted in Upon his release from the St. Louis Rams, veteran safety O.J. Atogwe was on several team’s radar screen as a street free agent in February.
The Vikings were interested in Atogwe, but Judd Zulgad of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports the 30-year-old safety decided to sign with the Redskins instead.
“There were a lot of teams that showed interest, but maybe a handful of teams that had some serious interest,” Atogwe said. “The Vikings were one of the teams, but the timing issue and just where I believe I was being led by God told me to go to the Redskins.”
Atogwe signed a five-year, $26 million contract with the Redskins, which as I reported back in March, includes a $6.5 million roster bonus on the 5th day of the 2011 league year and a $900,000 base salary, both of which are fully guaranteed. Atogwe also has $500,000 in per game roster bonuses, and $2 million of his $3.4 million base salary in 2012 is guaranteed for injury.
The maximum value of Atogwe’s deal with the Redskins is $31.8 million.
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He would have been worth it. Maybe old Denzel is not as high on his safeties as he claims?
Your mistake Atogwe I feel we are def, better than the skins and they have good safeties already where as the Vikes, not so much.
why is this news? someone we might have could have signed?
I think Johnny’s comment is why this is semi-important news. Many, including me, thought Frazier was content with his safeties, but this “news” might suggest otherwise… which is a sign that they might be looking for help elsewhere once free agency opens up.
“I believe I was being led by God told me to go to the Redskins.” I truly don’t believe that God has lead any one to DC since Mr Smith goes to Washington and that was just a damn movie.
you forgot Michele Bachmann
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/michele-bachmanns-holy-war-20110622
Well Cal, you opened the door for me there…
What is wrong with leadership in this country? We have a State shutdown, we have an NFL lockout, we have an NBA lockout. We have candidates like Bachmann and Pawlenty who have one theme… criticize, criticize, criticize. I swear if the president chose to use the urinal, these two will shout that he should have used the stall. I don’t fully agree with either party, but I wish, for crying out loud…
There doesn’t seem to be any diplomacy, negotiating or compromising skills around any more. Me, me, me, my way, my way, my way, ego, ego, ego… this is getting to be a sick and immature pattern. We have a fricking political Civil War going on in this country, and its gonna take us down if someone doesn’t wise up. And it’s present in the sports leagues and business board rooms as well…
Sorry, Adam and everyone… I know, I’m an old codger who is rantin’ and ravin’ here.
Anyway…(sigh), yeah, that’s interesting about how we feel about our safeties.
Easy Coach easy dont blow a gasket. Geez I better not tell you what I think of this president and his minions. lol
Btw Coach I just read about Fred McNeill, very sad story. He’s one of my all time favorites.
No, johnny, you are fully entitled to your opinion on the President or anyone else. I just wonder why people can’t do a better job of seeing there is at least some credibility in everyone’s position, and use that to arrive at some solutions instead of all these silly stalemates…
Freddie Mac was a great guy, and a darn good LB. I was really comfortable with him on the field. Yeah, its a really sad story. Hope we are doing things to prevent that kind of future for today’s players.
Coach they are doing alot more to help with head injuries and I believe Matt Birk has taken a lead on it.
On a better note I also read the story on old Fred Cox. Geez I didnt know he invented the nerf football and was so successful in life after football.
coach, we americans don’t like to look in the mirror
we are the ones allowing this
we’ve been champs of the world for so long that we got fat and happy, and now we’re stupid, too. that’s how these pols do it, we let ‘em
imho, we need campaign finance reform to get the money out of politics, but it won’t happen. the super-wealthy, the big corporations, wall street, they’ve got control and we let it continue. stupid. we’re probably gonna have a big depression someday, major public violence, and then it might change
in the meantime, gimme a title, vikes. what a great diversion that would be
Well hopefully we go after Eric Weddle from SD once FA starts
I hope so too Randy. Dude looked pretty awsome in the Charger games that I watched.