Alec Ogletree

Three New York Giants Players Awarded With 2019 Pro Bowl Honors

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New York Giants, Saquon Barkley

The NFL announced the rosters for the 2019 Pro Bowl on Tuesday and three New York Giants players were selected as starters. Those players include rookie running back Saquon Barkley, the NFL’s most efficient kicker this season in Aldrick Rosas, and the injured captain of the defense Landon Collins.

Saquon Barkley:

Saquon Barkley, the extraordinary rookie running back out of Penn State will participate in his first Pro Bowl of his career this year. The number two overall pick from last year’s draft leads all rookies in rushing yards and is third in the NFL in that category with 1,155 rushing yards on the season so far. Saquon has also tallied nine rushing touchdowns so far this season. On top of that, Barkley has 82 receptions for 654 yards and 4 receiving touchdowns. This totals his all-purpose yards at an astounding 1,809 yards with two games left to play. The Giants have a special player in Barkley. He is the first rookie Giants running back selected for the Pro Bowl since 1965. Giants fans should expect to see Barkley selected for the Pro Bowl on a yearly basis.

Aldrick Rosas:

After a rocky 2017, fans were skeptical of Aldrick Rosas and unsure if he should return to the team in 2018. However, it is now clear that the Giants front office made the right decision in keeping Rosas. Through 15 weeks of the 2018-2019 NFL season, Rosas has been the league’s best kicker. He has only missed one field goal all season, making his tally an impressive 28 for 29. His longest field goal of the season was a Giants team record 57 yard kick against the Chicago Bears. Rosas even won NFC Special Teams Player of the Week that week. Rosas will be the fourth Giants kicker selected to for the Pro Bowl in team history.

Landon Collins:

Former all-pro safety Landon Collins has now made the Pro Bowl for three straight seasons. Landon is a popular player in the NFL, known for his leadership and hard-hitting play style. Unfortunately, for the second season in a row, Collins will be unable to participate in the event due to injury.

Alternates And Snubs:

Many Giants fans were surprised to see that Odell Beckham Jr. was snubbed from the Pro Bowl roster in 2019. This is the secon season in Odell’s career that he was not selected as a Pro Bowl starter (last season he was not selected due to being placed on injured reserve in week 5.

However, Beckham Jr. was awarded as a second alternate, so it is likely he will have a chance to play in the game anyway. Along with Odell Beckham Jr., the Giants had two other players selected as alternates. Safety/special teamer Michael Thomas was selected as a special teamer first alternate.

Pass rushing outside linebacker Olivier Vernon was also selected as a first alternate. This shows that general managers and coaches around the NFL value Vernon’s play, which could boost his trade value this offseason. Another player who was snubbed from the Pro Bowl is linebacker Alec Ogletree. Ogletree has five interceptions this season and leads the Giants in tackles with 93 tackles. In the opinion of many Giants fans, his play during the second half of the season warrants a Pro Bowl selection.

Should The New York Giants Retain LB Alec Ogletree After The 2018 Season?

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The New York Giants acquired Alec Ogletree from the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for 4th and 7th round picks in the 2019 NFL Draft during the offseason.

The Giants had a large void to fill at the inside linebacker position and the Rams were shopping Ogletree who is still in the prime years of his career at 27 years old. The Rams signed Alec to a 4-year, $42M extension and then traded him to the Giants 5 months later.

The Giants not only gave up draft picks in the 2019 NFL Draft but agreed to take on his contract averaging over $10M per season. This was a large investment by the Giants and they arguably overpaid, but where do the Giants go from here?

Ogletree’s Contract

Alec Ogletree is paid as a top-shelf linebacker. The only two linebackers who have a larger salary per year are Luke Kuechly and Bobby Wagner. There is a huge gap in production between the Giants’ MIC defender and those two linebackers.

The Giants still have $18M in total guaranteed money to pay Ogletree over the next 3 seasons. If they decide to release him, they would have a significant amount of dead money against the salary cap.

Ogletree’s Impact

Alec Ogletree has always been known to make big plays since his days as a Georgia Bulldog. While he’s the type of player who makes big plays, he gives up big plays as well. In 2018 he’s continued to struggle with inconsistency and in coverage, but he hasn’t played poorly overall. He has 78 combined tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 4 quarterback hits, 6 pass deflections, and 4 interceptions through 12 games. His play has also picked up recently, in the last 5 games he has 34 combined tackles, 1 sack, 3 quarterback hits, and 3 interceptions. One of his interceptions came in the team’s only win before their bye-week against the Texans in week 3.

Ogletree’s play might be up and down, but his consistency comes off the field as a leader. He’s always seen trying to lift the team’s spirits throughout games and always has the right things to say publicly. This makes him valuable to the team in an intangible way as well.

What’s next after 2018?

The Giants might be overpaying the linebacker based on market value, but they would be in a far worse position next year if they released Ogletree without any reliable depth behind him.  If the team could successfully negotiate a pay-cut that would be ideal. If not they are better off keeping a solid player for a few extra million per year.

New York Giants Big Money Linebacker Falling Short Of Expectations

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When the New York Giants traded for middle linebacker Alec Ogletree on March 17, fans were hopeful for a better linebacking corps. They hoped that the Giants finally found their center piece to command the defense. However, 11 games into the 2018 season, Ogletree has not lived up to the hype.

Alec Ogletree Commands A High Price:

The Giants traded their 2018 fourth and 2019 seventh round draft picks for Ogletree. Considering the Giants received a fifth round draft pick by trading Damon Harrison, the best run stuffer in the NFL, maybe a fourth round pick for Ogletree was too much. On top of that, his cap hit next season spikes up to $11 million. This would make him the third highest-paid inside linebacker in the league next season. Alec Ogletree’s performance does not reflect that of a top three linebacker in the NFL. Thankfully, if the Giants decide to cut him next season (post-June 1st), they will save $10 million in cap space.

Below Average Performance:

Alec Ogletree is currently ranked as the 75th linebacker on Pro Football Focus with a below average grade of 43.2. Considering what the Giants gave up for Ogletree, and what they plan on paying him, this is unacceptable. This low grade comes from Ogletree’s poor play in coverage. For example, against the 49ers in week 10, Ogletree allowed tight end George Kittle to gain 83 yards on nine receptions.

In week 11, Ogletree was not assigned to pass coverage because of his play in San Francisco. Rather than play coverage, he was assigned to play run defense, but he struggled mightily there, too. The big-money linebacker played his part in allowing Buccaneers running back Peyton Barber to rush for 109 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries. The Giants have been allowing 125.4 rushing yards per game this season and 152.3 per game over the last three games. Their run defense is arguably their biggest weakness, and the blame for that should be carried on the shoulders of the middle linebacker.

Alec Ogletree does have a captain’s patch, and he has seemed to be an excellent leader this season. But that doesn’t excuse his poor play. The Giants can’t afford to pay top dollar for someone just to be a locker room leader. They need to pay for performance, and they need to get top level play when spending top dollar. Unfortunately, Alec Ogletree has not been giving the Giants top level performances, and this makes him a big cut-candidate next season.

New York Giants: The Solution To Alec Ogletree’s Coverage Issues

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Throughout the first two preseason games for the New York Giants, newly acquired linebacker Alec Ogletree has displayed an inability to drop into coverage. Teaming up alongside B.J. Goodson provides the Giants with two run-stopping specialists in the middle of the field.

Despite Ogletree’s value in the run game, his coverage skills are below par. Over the past few days, DC James Bettcher has presented several different looks to give the veteran LB a better chance at containing opposing tight ends and running backs.

Giants’ LB Ray-Ray Armstrong offers more value to Ogletree in coverage:

Ray-Ray Armstrong, who was cut by the 49ers after ranking second on the team with 54 tackles, is the secret to success for Alec in coverage.

Being released by his former team has aided him in his conquest to offer value toward an organization that presents an opportunity. The Giants happen to be that team, and Armstrong has taken the challenge by the horns.

The first two preseason games for Armstrong have been stellar. He’s recorded 72 defensive snaps at left inside linebacker – 29 in run support, one as a pass rusher and 42 in coverage. So far, he has a 47.9 NFL rating when dropping back into coverage. That’s the second-best rating among the Giants’ linebacker and defensive backs.

According to Forbes:

“It helps a lot,” Armstrong said of playing safety in college. “Playing safety, you have to cover a lot of skill guys, guys with speed and great in space and moving to linebacker, it’s pretty much tight ends and running backs.”

An interception in last week’s game against the Lions has earned the veteran a week with the first team nickle defense. Playing alongside Ogletree offers a solid balance of run support and coverage in the middle of the defense.

“(Alec) Ogletree is the leader of that defense, but he can’t do it by himself,” Armstrong said. “If I see something that needs to be corrected, I’m going to speak on it. We all need to be accountable and hold each other to that standard.”

Having two outspoken leaders at linebacker is essential for the 3-4 defense to operate correctly. It seems as if Armstrong has all of the tools to be a perfect compliment next to Ogletree.

Alec Ogletree Opens up About Joining The New York Giants

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The New York Giants have a new face on the roster and his name is Alec Ogletree. The Former Ram has made the transition to New York, and he’s preparing to take on a massive role on the defense as the MIC linebacker.

Ogletreee is coming off a down year that saw his tackle totals drop by 35 (98 to 63). While he undoubtedly has the ability to be a top-notch linebacker in the NFL, given his 2016 stats (98 tackles and 10 passes defended), he has still struggled with consistency throughout his carrer. One of the most enticing things about the sixth-year LB is his durability – only missing consistent games in 2015 where he only played four the entire season. He bounced back in a big way the year after, showing that the injury troubles were only temporary.

His durability certainly played a major part in seeing GM Dave Gettleman to his door step and asking for his services from the Rams. Although he has a base salary of $10 million per-year, he was an essential signing due to the transition to a 3-4 defense.

Here’s what Ogletree had to say about making the move to the Giants, according to Big Blue View:

“It’s been going good,” Ogletree said. “Like you said, over time you work on it and the more reps you get, the better you get at something and it’s been good so far.”

In regard to playing with new teammates:

“You have to adjust, playing with different guys,” Ogletree said. “I feel like I’ve tried to take my time and just learn each guy and how they play, so I can adjust my game to theirs and do the same. So, it’s a work in progress for sure, but I feel like we’re on the right track, for sure.”

On being the leader of the defense:

“I guess it’s been said I’ve been the quarterback of the defense, I guess,” Ogletree said. “But at my position, it comes with some sense of leadership, where you’ve got to get guys lined up and stuff. But for me, I try to lead by example, and doing the right thing before I say something. Just so you can see it instead of just listening to what I’m saying. If I’m speaking the right thing, I’ve got to be doing the right thing.”

One of the most admirable attributes that Alec acquires is his ability to lead. The Giants have lacked a true voice in the locker room and leader on the field. Jonathan Casillas was thought to be the leader on the defense going back the past few years, but his play wasn’t good enough to take his teammates to the next level. Ogletree has that talent, and he will be seeking a resurgence with Big Blue.

What should we expect from him?

“Just a guy that’s going to play full 60 minutes,” Ogletree said. “A hard worker, hopefully a leader on this team and a guy that’s just going to fight to win each and every down and fight all the way to the end, no matter what the score is.”

The Giants have made it a priority to bring in guys that will fight until the very last moment, queue the Will Hernandez “Hulk Smash!” It’s a bright future ahead, and if the team can continue to develop and stay positive, there’s no reason the Giants can’t turn their 3-13 season into a playoff one.

 

What Does Linebacker Alec Ogletree Bring To The New York Giants?

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The New York Giants traded for Los Angeles Rams linebacker Alec Ogletree for a fourth and sixth round pick in this year’s draft, and as the Giants’ roster begins to shape up, it looks like a deal that will work out and make an instant impact.

After all, linebacker is a position that the Giants need help in, and Ogletree was Second-team All-Pro for the 2016 season. The Rams trusted him enough to give him a four-year contract with $30,000,000 guaranteed last year.

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But what do the Giants get with their much needed new anchor at the linebacker position? Let’s start with the numbers. Ogletree had a down year last year in Los Angeles, his tackles dropping from 98 to 63, but he’s been a consistent player otherwise. In three of his four other seasons, he started every game. He only started four games in 2015, but that’s only because he was injured most of the year with a broken fibula.

The numbers don’t tell the entire story, though. Let’s have a look at some game tape.

In this game against the Vikings, Ogletree had seven tackles. He showed off some of the skills that he’ll bring to the Giants, and one of the more notable ones is his ability to run and cover ground tirelessly. In this play, he fakes a blitz towards the center and then makes up the ground between himself and Jerick McKinnon to get the tackle before any yards are picked up. Once he reaches McKinnon, he comes in with his shoulders low and his arms outstretched, in the right position to wrap him up and take him down with minimal movement after the catch.

Ogletree is good at getting those running starts, too. There were multiple plays in this game where he read Keenum’s eyes and showed good instincts, positioning himself to make a play. In this one, he’s watching Keenum and identifies that the ball is coming in his direction, moving to play the slant before the ball is even thrown and then coming in with force to get around a block by another Vikings receiver, before wrapping up Treadwell around the shoulders and dropping him.

In this play, Ogletree pays attention when Keenum is unsettled in the pocket, and his awareness ensures that he’s ready when the ball comes his way. He does a good job in coverage and gets the deflection, only missing the interception because of not facing the ball.  Again, he’s moving in the right direction before the ball starts moving and not afterwards, a valuable instinct for an inside linebacker.

Going back to the theme of Ogletree being an active player and good tackler, he fights off of a block in this play and then drags McKinnon down from behind. He has good technique here and establishes control of his blocker by putting his hands on his pads first, and he uses this to step over in time to make the play.

If Ogletree brings this to the Giants, he’ll make an instant impact against the running attacks of the NFC East, that now include Derrius Guice and the Redskins in addition to the Cowboys and Ezekiel Elliot. That’s not mentioning that the Giants pass defense improves by having someone manning the middle that can handle stopping the short and medium pass.

There were other games last season where Ogletree had similar levels of production, and you can expect him to join the Giants without suffering a drop off in his numbers. If anything, he’s set to return to 2016 numbers, as one of the top inside linebackers in the league.

Speculating What The New York Giants 3-4 Defense May Look Like

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With free-agency among us, there is a lot of change coming for the New York Giants defense. A look at what going from a 4-3 defense to a 3-4 may require some outside-the-box thinking.

With a linebacker core that has been the glaring hole in the Giants defense, new GM Dave Gettleman began to address that quickly by trading for proven veteran Alec Ogletree. But this is not the only change coming for the Giants roster.

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Linebacker

Looking at what might change for the defensive line and linebacker core, I cannot help but think about Jason Pierre-Paul and Olivier Vernon and what their role may become. Both OV and JPP are proven edge rushers and can both play the run as well; both have played with the hand in the dirt and off the line as well.

Although their pass-coverage has gone fairly untested, it is possible that they could transition into an edge rusher/ OLB role. This could be the answer for a James Bettcher defense that loves blitzing the quarterback.

Defensive Line

That change would bring some change to the defensive line as well. Damon (Snacks) Harrison is one of the best run-stoppers in the NFL and Dalvin Tomlinson looks to improve off of an impressive rookie season, ranking as the top rookie interior defender in the league.

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Adding some depth to the defensive line would be a must. Resigning Jay Bromley, who has been serviceable for the Giants over the past few years, would be a cheaper option to add depth. Bringing in one of the many quality defensive line free agent options is likely as well.

Secondary

The change in scheme may not effect the Giants secondary as much as the rest of the defense. But with Dominic Rodgers-Cromartie’s recent release, Eli Apple’s 2017 tailspin, and Janoris Jenkins coming off ankle surgery, there are more than just a few questions with the secondary.

Bringing in more depth is a must to help support Landon Collins and co. in the secondary. Ross Cockrell played well down the stretch of the season and should provide some optimism for this group (three interceptions).

 

 

This Linebacker Could Complement Alec Ogletree Perfectly

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The New York Giants have begun upgrading the defense, starting with former Los Angeles Rams linebacker Alec Ogletree. General manager Dave Gettleman is setting the tone early in free agency by trading for the former Ram.

The Giants gave their compensatory fourth-round pick and a sixth-rounder for Ogletree, who also came with a 2019 seventh-rounder. It seems as if the Rams were willing to part ways with the linebacker to ensure they could resign defensive tackle Aaron Donald.

What type of player is Ogletree?

The Giants are receiving a physical player in Ogletree, who can be used off the edge and on blitzing plays. His size and strength will be perfect for a James Bettcher defense looking to play a potential 3-4.

But to complement a strong blitzing linebacker, the Giants must also find a solid coverage LB in the draft or through free agency.

Here’s one that would be a perfect fit on the defense:

Philadelphia Eagles’ Nigel Bradham is the perfect player to work alongside Ogletree in the middle of the field. His abilities in coverage are superior. Bradham recorded 61 total tackles and eight passes defended in 2017.

Adding him to the mix of linebackers would significantly strengthen the middle of the field, and provide the defensive line with ample support when it comes to rushing the quarterback.

Bradham may be costly for the Giants, but far less than Ogletree. He might cost them somewhere in the $5-6 million per-season range.

 

Wondering What Alec Ogletree Brings To The Defense? Check This Out

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The New York Giants splashed the cash on Wednesday, bringing on former Rams linebacker Alec Ogletree in a steal of a trade. The five-year player has extreme potential under the right scheme, and his tackling statistics prove that to be true.

Over the course of his five-seasons in the NFL, Ogletree racked up a total of 367 tackles, and only missed games in one season. His proven health record is a huge plus for a team that saw their entire defensive secondary and line-backing core succumb to injury in 2017. Ogeltree brings fresh blood to New York and a dynamic style of play.

While Ogletree isn’t the most sound coverage linebacker, his strength lies in stopping the run. Aiding a defensive line that consists of Jason Pierre-Paul, Olivier Vernon, Damon Harrison and Dalvin Tomlinson is the key to stopping opposing offenses. Creating a strong linebacking corps to support in the run and spy on the quarterback is essential, especially in a James Bettcher defense.

What we have to look forward to in Ogletree:

Now, this isn’t exactly what you want to see from your player, but here’s my take on it. Ogletree may have started a fight with Odell Beckham Jr., but we can’t hold on to that forever. The guy brings ferocity and anger to his game. He loves the game of football, and is aggressive in everything he does (tackling, running, etc.). Having a guy with that mentality makes your team stronger and meaner on the field.

Remember the days of physical football on the Giants’ defense? The days that teams were scared to play us because our defense was about to maul them? That’s what Ogletree brings back to our team.

This should give you a solid idea of what Ogletree brings to the team. His ability to drop back into shallow coverage and spy on the quarterback is one of his premier strengths. He may not be the best at covering a tight end or receiver, but he under-cuts routes with extreme precision and placement. He’s one of those players that’s often in the right place at the right time.

Overall, he’s a great pickup for a Giants team that lacked linebackers significantly. The issue is his contract, which allocated around $10 million per-season. He’s the third-highest paid ILB in the league. We should expect to see several cuts made once free agency begins next Wednesday.