Hornetsfan schrieb:
Ist der Trade nicht schon über den Tisch gegangen?
Mittlerweile ja, zu dem Zeitpunkt war es aber noch nicht sicher, da die Bears und Wale eine Deadline hatten, bis um 6 p.m. einen Vertrag auszuhandeln. Die mußte zweimal verlängert werden!
Bears have edge in Ogunleye trade
By Vic Carucci
National Editor, NFL.com
(Aug. 22, 2004) -- The Miami Dolphins desperately needed a receiver. The Chicago Bears desperately needed a defensive end.
In the simplest of terms, the trade that sent restricted free agent Adewale Ogunleye from Miami to Chicago in exchange for Marty Booker (plus a third-round draft pick next year) makes reasonably good sense for both teams.
But take a closer look, and it seems clear that the Bears came out on top in the deal -- by a lot.
Ogunleye is a premier talent. Not only does he rush the passer as well as anyone in the league, he also does an excellent job of stopping the run. The Dolphins obviously recognized he had far surpassed the contract to which they signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2000, and through the stormiest offseason and preseason in their history, they tried to do something about it. With a player of that caliber still in the early stages of his career, that made perfect sense.
Ultimately, though, the Dolphins couldn't come up with an offer that would satisfy Ogunleye enough so that he would make himself available to play for them for at least a full 16-game season rather than for the six-game minimum necessary for him to qualify as an unrestricted free agent in 2005. Ultimately, they decided they were better off getting something for him rather than settling for his disgruntled presence for less than half of the season only to then watch him go elsewhere.
Booker gives the Dolphins immediate help where they need it, the draft choice is a nice bonus, and the Bears -- who ranked last in the league with 18 sacks last season -- assume the burden of signing Ogunleye to a reported six-year contract worth $33.4 million, including $15 million in signing and roster bonuses.
Yet I would argue that, as ugly as their situation might be on offense, the Dolphins still would have been better off finding a way to come up with their own long-term agreement with Ogunleye. Their defense continues to give them their best -- if not only -- chance for success. Their defense is much better with Ogunleye than it is without him.
Spare me the analysis that the only reason Ogunleye led the AFC with 15 sacks last season is because Jason Taylor is Miami's other defensive end and draws blocking attention away from Ogunleye.
I have no doubt that Taylor's presence helped elevate Ogunleye's performance, but I have seen other top defensive ends draw extra blocking attention without anyone else thriving on the other side. I also know that Ogunleye's presence helped Taylor as well; their combined 28 sacks last season was more than any other pair of teammates in the NFL. They formed a duo that most opposing offensive lines couldn't handle -- a duo that figured to go a long way toward allowing the Dolphins' defense to help their offense by minimizing points allowed and maximizing the chances for turnovers.
Ogunleye gives the Bears everything they could want in a defensive end. Besides exceptional athleticism and quickness off the ball, he has tremendous upper body strength that allows him to maintain separation from blockers. He excels at anticipating the snap count -- a trait of all top-notch pass rushers -- and is usually around the corner before the tackle can set his feet. He also has great closing speed and shows good instincts in trying to force a strip every time he wraps his arms around the quarterback. On running plays, Ogunleye is quick to locate the ball carrier, does a superb job of taking angles to the ball, and has better sideline-to-sideline range and change-of-direction skills than most defensive ends in the league.
Booker is a good receiver two years removed from a great season. He has good size, power, large hands, and above-average speed. He is capable of giving the Dolphins what they had hoped to get from David Boston before losing him to a knee injury -- someone who will combine with Chris Chambers to stretch defenses and create running room. The initial plan was to provide more space for Ricky Williams, but since his sudden retirement, they have been counting on an improved passing game to generate whatever spark it can for a sorry running game.
The rap on Booker is that he doesn't have the greatest burst off the line, that he will drop some catchable passes, that he will sometimes lose focus, and that he will take the occasional down off. Of course, even if he arrived with flawless credentials, the Dolphins still aren't sure what they are doing about a starting quarterback. Neither Jay Fiedler nor A.J. Feeley has inspired confidence that the team even has someone who can be consistently efficient at the position, let alone a consistent playmaker.
When you consider the many troubling offensive questions the Dolphins are unlikely to solve before the start of the season, you can't help but return to the conclusion that it would have made more sense for them to find a way to keep the strongest area of a strong defense intact.
On that basis -- and on the basis that Chicago has a player who came within three sacks of its team total in 2003 -- the Bears easily come away as the winners of this trade.