According to Judd Zulgad of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, the Vikings formally opted out of the bidding for O.J. Atogwe Friday when coach Brad Childress said his team has “no interest” in the free agent safety.
Assuming there has been any bidding. The only team we know of that’s made Atogwe a contract offer is the St. Louis Rams.
Zulgad had already reported on Minnesota’s lack of interest, citing league sources on Wednesday. Now that Childress has confirmed the report, we can apparently scratch the Vikings off Atogwe’s list of potential suitors.
While Atogwe continues to be a hot topic, mostly due to a slow period for NFL news, more and more teams continue to deny interest in the Rams’ 2009 franchise player. The Vikings, Cowboys, 49ers, Eagles, and Dolphins are not expected to pursue Atogwe. The Rams, Redskins, and Lions seem to have varying levels of interest.
It’s possible that Atogwe’s recovery from reconstructive shoulder surgery and a reported sports hernia is scaring teams away.