HAMILTON —  - Adewale Ojomo and Julian Posey thought they had the football world at their feet, two athletically gifted players who line up on the defensive side of the ball, two skilled athletes who both figured all was good in their sporting universe.

Turns out it was too good until reality struck, their NFL dreams effectively coming to an end at virtually the same time.

Both of their football roads would take them to the Hammer, where late last season Ojomo and Posey were signed to the Ticats practice roster.

For many, being assigned to a CFL practice roster is akin to football purgatory, the money diminished, the opportunity to play in a real game limited, but it was an opportunity for both to re-evaluate their careers.

And once they were exposed to the CFL culture, Ojomo and Posey had an awakening, a rebirth that has made each much more appreciative of their opportunity.
“Basically, it was a very humbling experience,’’ Ojomo began on Tuesday, the second day of Ticats mini-camp. “And I’m just thankful to be playing football.

“I was able to learn the CFL style, but I also learned about being humble working with your teammates, working with your coaches and not making yourself better than anybody else, if you know what I mean. It opened my eyes, it showed me a lot.”

There’s always a sense of entitlement when one reaches the highest level of one’s athletic profession, selfishness compromising the team goal.

At 6-foot-5, Ojomo can line up at defensive end or move inside at tackle.

“We think he has a chance to be a versatile player,’’ Ticats defensive co-ordinator Orlondo Steinauer said of Adewale. “He has a longer frame, long-armed guy who is different than (Justin) Hickman and (Eric) Norwood (two incumbents on the defensive line).

“He (Ojomo) brings length and has more of a bull rush. He’s a hard-working kid and he’s humble. It’s why he’s gotten another look, it’s why he’s at OTA.”

Posey, whose brother plays for the NFL’s Houston Texans, has all the necessary physical attributes to play in any CFL defensive backfield.

But like Ojomo, Posey needed to take a step back before moving forward, his awakening arriving when he had a sit down with Steinauer.

“You’re a guy who is very charismatic and guys get behind you,’’ said Posey of what Steinauer would relate. “Coach O wanted me to understand that I didn’t have to be so competitive where you put a teammate down. He wanted me to lead and don’t talk about necessarily being the better player.”

At Ohio, one of Posey’s teammates was Chip Cox, an anchor on the Als’ defence and one of the premier defensive players in three-down football.

“I took a lot of things personally in life,’’ said Posey of his mental approach prior to his arrival in the Hammer. “With that being said, when I came up here I began taking a different approach and it allowed me to see the world differently.

“I started to see how to become a quiet-storm leader, which I wasn’t able to excel. I did it in college, at high school, but at the pro level I lost it. It felt good to get it back at the pro level.”

Last year’s brief exposure to the CFL game allowed Posey and Adewale to assimilate to the rules and playing style.

Adewale’s quickness allows him to run sideline to sideline and pressure the backfield.

For Posey, it was the foot work that expanded his game.

When he trained with his NFL-playing brother this off-season, Posey showed better technique.

“Different angles and spacing are required in the CFL,’’ said Posey, whose distant cousin is former hoopster and NBA champion James Posey.

Posey believes he can line up anywhere in the secondary.

“My name is Julian Posey and I guard any and everybody. It’s that simple.”


(owensoundsuntimes.com)

In addition to third-year NFL proCanes DL Marcus Forston and WR Tommy Streeter who were cut earlier this week by the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers respectively, rookie DL Justin Renfrow has been cut by the Arizona Cardinals, third-year pro Adewale Ojomo was cut by the Dallas Cowboys and veteran LB Spencer Adkins was cut by the New York Giants.

OXNARD, Calif. -- With injuries keeping five defensive linemen out of practices, the Dallas Cowboys agreed to deals with end Ken Boatright and Adewale Ojomo.

Rookie defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence had surgery on a broken foot on Thursday and is expected to miss eight to 10 weeks. Defensive tackle Terrell McClain has been battling a sprained ankle and Ben Bass suffered a hamstring strain on Thursday. Anthony Spencer is on the physically unable to perform list and Amobi Okoye is on the non-football injury list. Their absences have put a strain on the remaining defensive linemen.

To make room on the roster, wide receiver L'Damian Washington and guard Darius Morris will be waived.

Boatright, who is 6-foot-3, 254 pounds, spent time with the Seattle Seahawks last season after signing as an undrafted free agent. He was cut in June. Boatright’s agent, Brett Tessler, tweeted the agreement.

Ojomo was cut by the Tennessee Titans following an arrest for soliciting a prostitute. He has spent time with the New York Giants, Seahawks and Buffalo Bills since 2012. He has played in one game in his career.

In addition to Boatright and Ojomo, the Cowboys also worked out Cory Henry, who went to rookie minicamp with the Houston Texans on a tryout basis. He had 32 career sacks at Florida Atlantic.


(espn.com)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Titans have waived defensive end Adewale Ojomo more than two weeks after he was arrested in a prostitution sting.

The Titans announced the move Monday afternoon, hours after the team started its offseason program.

Ojomo had joined the Titans’ practice squad in December after stints with the Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2012 and on the practice squads in Seattle and Buffalo last fall.

He was booked March 21 in Miami on a charge of soliciting a prostitute after police say Ojomo offered the undercover detective $100 for sex. The police report said Ojomo was planning to go to a nearby store for condoms but was arrested before he could drive away.

Ojomo played at the University of Miami.


(washingtonpost.com)

MIAMI -- Tennessee Titans defensive end Adewale Ojomo has been arrested in a prostitution sting.

A Miami police report stated the 25-year-old South Florida native was booked into jail Friday morning on a charge of soliciting a prostitute. He was being held on $500 bail.

According to the arrest report, an undercover detective was working in an area known for prostitution Thursday night when Ojomo pulled up in a white 2013 Lexus. After a brief conversation, police say Ojomo offered the undercover detective $100 for sex. The report says Ojomo was planning to go to a nearby store for condoms, but he was arrested before he could drive away.

He signed with Tennessee last year. The Titans say they're aware of the arrest but had no other comment.

Ojomo signed with the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2012. He did shorts stints with the Seattle and Buffalo practice squads last fall before joining Tennessee's practice squad in December.

While at the University of Miami, Ojomo had 79 tackles and 9.5 sacks.


(espn.com)

Titans signed DE Adewale Ojomo, T Jeff Adams, DT Chigbo Anunoby, CB George Baker, LB Brandon Copeland, C Tyler Horn, TE Adam Schiltz, and LB Jonathan Willard to reserve/future contracts.
"Futures" deals are often one- or two-year, team-friendly pacts with little or no guaranteed money and an opportunity to spend the spring in an NFL training facility. There are no especially notable names among Tennessee's reserve/future deals. They were all practice squad players during 2013.


(rotoworld.com)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Titans have filled the spot on their practice squad by signing defensive end Adewale Ojomo.

The Titans announced the move Wednesday.

The 6-foot-4 Ojomo spent last season with the New York Giants and played in one game. The Giants waived Ojomo after training camp, and he has been on the practice squad with the Giants, Seattle and Buffalo this season. Ojomo played three seasons in college at Miami.

The Titans had an open spot after promoting receiver Michael Preston to the active roster last weekend.


(washingtonpost.com)

On Tuesday the Bills also released DE Izaan Cross from the practice squad and signed Adewale Ojomo (pronounced ad-uh-WALL-ee o-JO-mo). Ojomo (6’4” 270) has appeared in one career NFL game with the New York Giants in 2012, the team he signed with after going undrafted last year.

He was last with the Seattle Seahawks where he spent a week on the club’s practice squad. Ojomo played his college ball at the University of Miami.


(buffalobills.com)

On Tuesday, the Seattle Seahawks announced that they had waived defensive tackle Sealver Siliga from their practice squad and signed former New York Giants defensive end, Adewale Ojomo, to fill his spot.

Ojomo, who went undrafted out of Miami in the 2012 NFL Draft, was originally signed to the Giants' practice squad and made an immediate preseason impact. He led the team with four tackles over four games in 2012, earning him a 17-week stay on the aforementioned practice squad. He returned in 2013 and, once again, had a solid preseason, earning himself a second straight practice squad designation.

However, due to injuries and uncertainty surrounding Jason Pierre-Paul and Damontre Moore, Ojomo was signed to the 53-roster in week one of the regular season, but was listed as one of the seven inactives. He was later waived in preparation for the signing of a running back (Brandon Jacobs), but not re-signed to their practice squad. Instead, the team opted to sign linebacker Emmanuel Acho.


(giants101.com)

Emmanuel Acho was a 2012 third-round pick of the Cleveland Browns, but spent the duration of his rookie season on Injured Reserve (IR) with a leg injury. Earlier this offseason he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for running back Dion Lewis, but was released on September 2nd.

Acho will take the place of wide receiver Marcus Harris on the practice squad, who was released on Tuesday.

Surprisingly, the Giants have chosen not to — at least for now — re-sign defensive end Adewale Ojomo, who was also released on Monday.


(giants101.com)

Some quick transaction news here: The Giants have released defensive end Adewale Ojomo, opening up a spot on the 53-man roster heading into tomorrow's running back tryouts.

The spot could also be used to bring up a cornerback from the practice squad as well. Peyton Manning is coming to town and Prince Amukamara left Sunday's game with a concussion.

Ojomo was best known for two straight years of preseason production. He was brought up to the active roster this week as insurance for Jason Pierre-Paul but was inactive.


(nj.com)

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Fifteen minutes before Saturday’s 6 p.m. ET deadline, Adewale Ojomo received the call that he wouldn’t be part of the Giants’ 53-man roster. The fact that it came down to the wire meant he was one of the last men out.

The defensive end took some consolation out of it, but he was still without a team.

“I spoke to [Giants general manager] Jerry Reese, and he told me that I was good enough, that it was just a numbers thing,” Ojomo said Wednesday. “And that if something happened, I’d be the first guy that they would move up. So it was just a little disappointing, but I still would have a job so I kept the faith and knew that I would have another opportunity.”

He was right.

A day later, after clearing waivers, Ojomo was signed to the Giants’ practice squad. Then the “something” happened when running back Andre Brown was placed on the injured reserve/designated to return list on Wednesday, freeing up a roster spot.

Ojomo, who was on the active roster all of 2012 as a rookie but dressed for only one game, was promoted and once again part of the Giants’ 53.

For how long or what it will bring, Ojomo will find out.

“I’m closer to the field, and that’s what I want to do,” he said. “I want to be great on the field. It’s not about fame. It’s not about money. It’s not about anything else. I just want to play football at this point. That’s it.”

Undrafted out of Miami in 2012, Ojomo earned a roster spot with four sacks in three preseason games last year. He followed up with 2.5 more in 2013, including a sack in the preseason finale against New England.

However, there is more to football than rushing the passer. Ojomo hadn’t shown enough in the other departments, as evidenced in him being the odd man out.

But such is life in the NFL. He, his teammates, and one former Giant-turned-Falcon knew he wouldn’t be on the outside looking in when the 2013 season began. 

“Kiwi [defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka] is always in my ear,” Ojomo said. “He told me when you play that well, you’re going to be on somebody’s 53, you’re going to be playing football somewhere. I spoke to Osi [Umenyiora], too. Osi is over there in Atlanta, and I told him I haven’t forgotten the techniques that he showed me. He responded and said, ‘Well, you’ll be on somebody’s 53-man roster for sure.’ That just gave me motivation and encouragement to keep the faith.”


(giants.com)

NFL teams are cutting their rosters down to the final 53 but also adding to their rosters.

OL Tyler Horn was released by the Texans.

TE Chase Ford who was cut by the Minnesota Vikings was SIGNED to the Vikings practice squad. WR Tommy Streeter who was cut by the Ravens has been signed to the Buffalo Bills practice squad. DL Marcus Forston was signed to the Patriots practice squad. DE Adewale Ojomo who was previously cut by the NY Giants was signed to the Giants’ practice squad.

LB Rocky McIntosh was released by the Lions. LB/DE Baraka Atkins was cut by the New Orleans Saints. DB DeMarcus Van Dyke who was cut by the Steelers and then placed on IR, was waived off of IR with a Settlement. TE Richard Gordon was cut by the Raiders. DL Antonio Dixon was cut by the Eagles. DL Micanor Regis was cut by the Falcons.

Previously, after the third NFL Pre Season game, four proCanes were cut. Ravens WR and RB Tommy Streeter and Damien Berry were waived respectively. Eagles Safety Kenny Phillips was waived. Raiders DB Cory Nelms was also waived.

Last preseason, when an unknown Adewale Ojomo notched four sacks in three preseason games, everyone was surprised but him.

This preseason – like on Saturday night against Pittsburgh – no one was caught off-guard when he contributed 1.5 of the Giants’ five sacks.

He had already made a name for himself, albeit preseason.

“There’s no on-and-off switch,” Ojomo said before Monday’s training camp practice at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center. “It’s the same thing every game. You can expect the same thing from me day in and day out. Whether that’s in the preseason or whether that’s in the regular season – whenever – it’s going to be the same thing.”

The defensive end, however, was unable to carry the success into the regular season as a rookie in 2012. Playing behind the likes of Jason Pierre-Paul, Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora, the undrafted University of Miami product dressed for just one game.

Ojomo is working to expand his contribution beyond rushing the passer in 2013.

“I think the biggest thing that changed is now I’m focusing hard on special teams,” said Ojomo, who recorded an assisted tackle on punt coverage in Pittsburgh. “I’m concentrating on [it]. There are three aspects to the game – you have offense, you have special teams and defense. And I think I needed to make a big improvement on special teams and that’s what the coaching staff is asking of me. So that’s what I’m trying to do now.”

It’s not a hard sell in the meeting room when teammates like Pierre-Paul and Tuck began their careers in that phase of the game.

“I’m just going hard in practice listening to what [defensive line] coach [Robert] Nunn is coaching,” Ojomo said. “I have a great coach and great guys around me. That’s basically it – just doing what the coach asks of me and using the techniques that he teaches.”


(giants.com)

New York Giants LB Spencer Paysinger, who is in the mix for a starting linebacker job, posted a team-high five tackles in the preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers Saturday, Aug. 10, to help his cause. DE Adewale Ojomo has turned heads in training camp, and he posted 1.5 sacks in second half action. CB Charles James and DE Justin Trattou also helped their cause for a roster spot with one sack apiece.


(kffl.com)

I would like to see more of Adrian Tracy and Adewale Ojomo. Do you think they will get more playing time on the field this year now that Osi Umenyiora is gone? It would be nice to use these newer guys more.
-Michael

Frankly, I don’t see them getting much more time. Mathias Kiwanuka is once again listed as a defensive end on the roster. Assuming Justin Tuck and JPP are the starters, Kiwi will be the third end. That’s a strong rotation, but it would limit the opportunities for Tracy and Ojomo. Tracy did good work with limited playing time last year and will get a chance in training camp and the preseason to show he’s improved. Ojomo led the Giants in sacks in the 2012 preseason. But with third round draft choice Damontre Moore also here and certain to make the roster barring an injury, Ojomo is longshot to get significant playing time this year.


(nygiants.com)

(Adewale) Ojomo stood out in preseason, but was invisible this year. Did he suit up for any games?
-Cory

Ojomo did have a strong preseason – when he led the team with 4.0 sacks – which enabled him to make the roster as an undrafted free agent. But he had too many talented and experienced defensive ends ahead of him, which prevented him from getting on the field in the regular season. Ojomo was inactive for all but one game – the Oct. 7 victory over Cleveland, when he played on special teams. It’s not much to build on, but he will be in the offseason program and will have an opportunity to show in training camp whether or not he’s improved. If he does, perhaps he’ll get a shot to play on defense in 2013.


(giants.com)