Alec Ogletree signed a four-year contract extension with the Rams in October. They traded him before it ever started.
The Giants landed one of the NFL’s leading tacklers from the past five seasons on Wednesday, sending a fourth- and sixth-round pick in the 2018 draft to Los Angeles for Ogletree and a seventh-round choice in the 2019 draft. He immediately becomes the marquee player at the middle level of the Giants defense. While the team has been flush with big names on the defensive line and in the secondary, the linebacking corps featured an underwhelming collection of players last season.
Here’s a look at some key facts about Ogletree, who becomes an answer to the future trivia question, “Who was Dave Gettleman’s first trade acquisition as general manager of the Giants?”
- Ogletree is ninth in the NFL with 367 solo tackles since entering the league in 2013. He’s sixth among linebackers, behind only Lavonte David, Luke Kuechly, Bobby Wagner, Paul Posluszny and Lawrence Timmons.
- Ogletree had 95 tackles last season (63 solo), which was the second-least productive of his five-year career — and he missed 12 games in his worst year. One linebacker has been that productive for the Giants in the past five seasons: Jameel McClain had 116 tackles (75 solo) in 2014.
- He was part of the famous Rams-Redskins trade in which Washington netted quarterback Robert Griffin III. The original deal was the Redskins getting the No. 2 pick in the 2012 draft (which became RG3) for the No. 6 pick, a second-rounder in 2012 and first-round selections in 2013 and 2014. After the Rams used those picks to make more trades, they ended up with eight selections, including Ogletree at No. 30 in 2013.
- Of the eight players they received because of that trade, only one is still with the Rams (Michael Brockers). The Giants have two (Ogletree and Janoris Jenkins).
- Ogletree’s contract carries a cap hit of $10 million in 2018, 2019 and 2020 and a $9 million hit in 2021, but it also has an opt-out after 2019. The base salary for this season is $3 million with a guaranteed $7 million roster bonus, which he’ll receive on March 16. Next year, the base salary is $4 million, and the $6 million roster bonus will again be due in mid-March.
- He showed off some of his athleticism during a touchdown celebration after returning an interception 40 yards against the Cardinals last season.
Before the season, Ogletree and Odell Beckham Jr. may have to reconcile after an out-of-bounds scuffle during a Giants-Rams game in 2014 led to an all-out brawl between the teams.
While tackling Beckham out of bounds, Ogletree pushed him far past the sideline and stiff-armed him back to the ground as Beckham tried to get up. Players from both sides quickly rushed to their teammates’ defense. Punches were thrown and ejections handed out, though Ogletree was not flagged for a late hit.