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The Latest on Former Dolphins Williams, Ogbah, Van Ginkel

Connor Williams' agent downplayed the possibility of his client returning to Miami next season while confirming the encouraging health update.

Alain Poupart

Center Connor Williams (58) snaps the ball in the second half against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium in 2022.
Center Connor Williams (58) snaps the ball in the second half against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium in 2022. / Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports
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There are a handful of prominent veterans who spent last season with the Miami Dolphins still looking for a team for 2024, and we have an update on a couple of them.

Center Connor Williams was among the most notable Dolphins unrestricted free agents this offseason and his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, has confirmed reports of Williams' remarkable recovery from his December knee injury.

Perhaps more importantly as it pertains to the Dolphins, Rosenhaus downplayed the possibility of Williams returning to the team in 2024 while at the same time — as any good agent would — not completely shutting the door on the idea.

"Let me go on the record here and say that Connor has had remarkable recovery, nothing short of miraculous, really looking good for the start of the season," Rosenhaus said during his regular appearance on South Florida TV station WSVN. "There's a lot of teams interested in him. But I'm just delighted for Connor. Did not anticipate him going to training him with a team and felt like it might be something during the season before he played, but now he's done an awesome job and we're gonna see Connor Williams in someone's training camp."

Rosenhaus then explained why a return to the Dolphins is unlikely.

"On behalf of Connor I'm sure he'd be open to it, but I wouldn't say that it's likely that he would return here with the Dolphins," Rosenhaus said. "Certainly wouldn't rule anything out but the Dolphins did sign a fine center in Aaron Brewer from the Tennessee Titans and made a big investment. So I think Connor wherever he signs it will be as a center."

Of course, this is where we would point out that Brewer started at guard for the Tennessee Titans before he moved to center last season, just like Williams was a guard with the Dallas Cowboys before the Dolphins switched his position when he joined the team in 2022.

THE OUTLOOK FOR OGBAH

Another former Dolphins starter looking for a new team is defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah, who's also represented by Rosenahus.

Ogbah became a free agent in the offseason when the Dolphins released him with two years remaining on the four-year extension he signed in 2022.

Rosenhaus said he has been in discussions with "several teams" that have expressed interest in Ogbah.

Ogbah, who joined the Dolphins as a UFA in 2020, led the team in sacks in both of his first two seasons in Miami, but he missed the second half of the 2022 season with a triceps injury and then saw his role greatly reduced last season after Vic Fangio arrived as the new defensive coordinator.

In his 15 games, Ogbah played only 246 defensive snaps, less than a third of his work load for his first two seasons with the Dolphins.

Because of the success Ogbah enjoyed when Brian Flores was Dolphins head coach, the Minnesota Vikings remain a logical destination given that Flores now serves as the team's defensive coordinator.

VAN GINKEL'S REAL-LIFE TRAGEDY

Meanwhile, linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel had to deal with a setback of his own over the weekend, though it had nothing to do with football.

As documented by Samantha Van Ginkel, Van Ginkel's home was among those impacted by a record flood in the couple's hometown of Rock Valley, Iowa.

The devastating flood has forced some 4,000 people to evacuate their homes, the result of a levee break along Rock River.

Andrew Van Ginkel is heading into his first season with the Vikings after signing a two-year contract as an unrestricted free agent. He did not practice during Minnesota's offseason program as he continues to work his way back from the foot injury he sustained in the 2023 regular season finale against the Buffalo Bills.

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Alain Poupart
ALAIN POUPART

Alain Poupart is the publisher/editor of All Dolphins and co-host of the All Dolphins Podcast. Alain has covered the Miami Dolphins on a full-time basis since 1989 for various publications and media outlets, including Dolphin Digest, The Associated Press, the Dolphins team website, and the Fan Nation Network (part of Sports Illustrated). In addition to being a credentialed member of the Miami Dolphins press corps, Alain has covered three Super Bowls (for NFL.com, Football News and the Montreal Gazette), the annual NFL draft, the Senior Bowl, and the NFL Scouting Combine. During his almost 40 years in journalism, which began at the now-defunct Miami News, Alain has covered practically every sport at one time or another, from tennis to golf, baseball, basketball and everything in between. The career also included time as a copy editor, including work on several books such as "Still Perfect," an inside look at the Miami Dolphins' 1972 perfect season. A native of Montreal, Canada, whose first language is French, Alain grew up a huge hockey fan but soon developed a love for all sports, including NFL football. He has lived in South Florida since the 1980s.

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