Dolphins agree to new four-year contract to bring back top free agent Emmanuel Ogbah
The Miami Dolphins did not wait long to make sure their biggest free agent will be staying in South Florida. Emmanuel Ogbah is returning the Dolphins.
Miami agreed to a four-year, $65 million deal with the defensive end Monday, agent Drew Rosenhaus told the Miami Herald. The deal includes $32 million guaranteed for Ogbah, who has been the Dolphins’ top pass rusher for the last two years since he joined Miami as a free agent ahead of the 2020 NFL season.
ESPN first reported the new contract.
Ogbah had nine sacks in each of the last two seasons, and was the only player in the NFL last year to log at least 20 quarterback hits and 10 passes defended. His 119 total pressures in the last two seasons are sixth most in the NFL behind only Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald, Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby, Tampa Bay Buccaneers outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett, Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt and Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett.
Ogbah can officially re-sign with the Dolphins at any time. Monday was the beginning of the two-day “legal tampering” window, in which teams can negotiate with free agents. Teams can sign other teams’ free agents starting Wednesday.
The Dolphins had spent months discussing a new contract with Ogbah, who broke out in Miami Gardens after four middling seasons with the Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs. The edge rusher never had more than 5 1/2 sacks in a season in his first four years, then signed a two-year, $15 million deal with the Dolphins in 2020 and outplayed his contract in his first two years with Miami.
In 2020, he started 12 games and recorded 42 tackles, nine sacks, six tackles for loss, 21 quarterback hits, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and five passes defended. Last season, he was even better, starting 11 games and recording 41 tackles, nine sacks, nine tackles for loss, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and 12 passes defended. With Ogbah among its top players, the Dolphins’ defense was once again among the best in the league and helped Miami finish one game out of the 2022 NFL playoffs.
Ogbah and tight end Mike Gesicki, 26, were the Dolphins’ two biggest impending free agents after last season, and both were potential candidates for a franchise tag. Last week, Miami decided to tag Gesicki and turn its focus to a long-term deal for Ogbah. A few minutes before the legal tampering window opened at noon, the Dolphins and Ogbah got the deal done.
This story was originally published March 14, 2022 at 12:08 PM.
