Fins Sign Jake Long

[HoosierCat]

http://www.miamiherald.com/614/story/489210.html

FWIW. Obviously could still be trying to get someone like the Rams or Chiefs to trade up...

Dolphins negotiating for Jake Long as No. 1 pick

Posted on Wed, Apr. 09, 2008

BY JEFF DARLINGTON

jdarlington@MiamiHerald.com

The Miami Dolphins could soon be off the clock.

The Dolphins have formally begun contract negotiations with agent Tom Condon about the prospect of selecting former Michigan offensive tackle Jake Long as the first overall selection in this year's draft.

Condon, who also represents Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan, was in South Florida early this week to negotiate specifically on behalf of Long at the request of the team, The Miami Herald has learned.

The Dolphins would like to have a contract in place with their first pick before the draft on April 26, which would allow them to avoid a potentially ugly holdout like the one that took place in Oakland last year upon the Raiders' selection of quarterback JaMarcus Russell.

Miami is still intrigued by Virginia defensive end Chris Long, but no in-person talks between Chris Long's agent and Miami are believed to have taken place to date. However, the Dolphins are believed to be happy with quarterback John Beck, and they are not considering Ryan as an option with the first pick.

The latest meeting between Condon and the team doesn't necessarily mean the Dolphins have made their final decision to select Jake Long over Chris Long, but it is certainly a major step in that direction.

By selecting Jake Long, the Dolphins would fill a gaping hole along their offensive line. Vernon Carey is currently slated as the starter at left tackle, but selecting Jake Long would potentially allow the team to move Carey back to his more natural position on the right side of the line.

[HairOnFire]

I'm not suprised they're talking to Jake Long, but I would have expected them to open talks with multiple prospects at the same time....if only for the contract leverage that results.

As for trading down, I doubt the Dolphins have received a single offer to do so.

[HoosierCat]

I'm not suprised they're talking to Jake Long, but I would have expected them to open talks with multiple prospects at the same time....if only for the contract leverage that results.

Speculation is rampant that they will do so in the coming days.

As for trading down, I doubt the Dolphins have received a single offer to do so.

Same here. That said, the Rams would clearly be interested in Jake, and if I'm Parcells I'm not paying much attention to ye olde draft value trade chartee. Rams want to pony up a 4th to swap? Done. Then I'll start chatting with Dorsey or Ryan (whomever the Falcons want more) and take another 4th to swap with them. Then Ill go ahead and take Chris Long at 3.

[HoosierCat]

Also talking with Gholston as well...

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/sfl-fls...0,3190844.story

[Bobcat Bengal]

I can see the Dolphins taking Gholston and Parcells molding him into Lawrence Taylor part duex.

[HoosierCat]

I can see the Dolphins taking Gholston and Parcells molding him into Lawrence Taylor part duex.

Me, too. But the latest reports now from espn are that they aren't talking with Gholston, just Jake.

[Kazkal]

It will be a good choice for the phins.

[NJ29]

I've never understood the obsession with Jake Long. The dude will be a great right tackle in the league, but he's not the franchise left tackle type that lot of teams look for. Honestly, the image stuck in my mind of him is when Gholston just manhandled him last year. Long might be the better pro prospect, but I love the Gholston took him school like he did.

[HoosierCat]

http://blogs.nbcsports.com/home/archives/2...at-the-top.html

LONG, LONG DAY AT THE TOP?

Posted by Tom Curran: Monday, April 21, 2008 10:39 AM

The Dolphins flirtations with Michigan tackle Jake Long over the past few weeks have been well-publicized but this morning, with six days to go before the draft, a league source is indicating that a contract agreement is nearly in place.

Word that Miami initiated talks with Long's agent, Tom Condon, surfaced almost two weeks ago. Condon actually was in South Florida to meet with Dolphins officials. Miami's also made overtures toward Vernon Gholston but little other progress has been mentioned.

Meanwhile, with Jake Long off the board, the St. Louis Rams are a lock to go with defense at No. 2 and, according to the same league source, the camp of Virginia defensive end Chris Long is very confident that's where he'll be headed.

[DesperateDerelict]

If Jake Long SIGNS with Miami, is St. Louis ALLOWED to open negotiations? Is that reserved only for numero uno?

[HoosierCat]

If Jake Long SIGNS with Miami, is St. Louis ALLOWED to open negotiations?

Yup. They'd be on the clock. The league front office tends to frown on all this, tho, feeling that it takes some of the excitement out of the draft, now that the draft has become an "event." There has been some talk of prohibiting teams from negotiating before the draft, or at least forbidding them from actually signing the guy before draft day. I wouldn't be surprised if, should the Fins and Long reach a deal and submit it this week, the league took its time approving the contract.

[HoosierCat]

The deal is done. Jake Long is the No. 1 pick, per Jay Glazer.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/8060536

Michigan offensive lineman Jake Long and the Miami Dolphins have agreed to terms on a six-year deal, FOXSports.com has learned. The deal, to be voided after five years, is worth $30 million guaranteed and has a total value of $57 million over five years.

Long is slated to fly into Miami later Tuesday to join his new team.

Rams are on the clock...

[DesperateDerelict]

For those hoping for Ellis or Dorsey, this is bad news.

[Kazkal]

For those hoping for Ellis or Dorsey, this is bad news.

I don't see how because if Jake didn't go 1# he would go 2# there was no way he made it to the chiefs at 5#.

Would have been nice though to stop chiefs from trading down.

[Wraith]

If the Rams select Gholston which is looking more and more likely (per Scott Wright at NFL Draft Countdown on his online chat with Clan Rams), the Falcons are taking a good hard look at Matt Ryan at #3 because of the number of picks means that they can re-tool their defense in the second and third rounds because this draft is so deep at the skill positions. LINK: http://myespn.go.com/blogs/hashmarks/0-6-1...-the-draft.html. If the Raiders pick Darren McFadden over Chris Long then the Chiefs will take Long with the fifth pick. The Jets, Ravens, and Patriots are not likely to take either Dorsey or Ellis and the Saints are not likely to trade up since on of the two is likely to fall past the Bengals so it could work out that both Dorsey and Ellis fall to us at 9.

Here is how that could work and the support for that position.

Miami: Jake Long, OT, Michigan: Already signed.

St. Louis: Vernon Gholston, DE, Ohio State: http://www.clanram.com/forums/f103/chat-tr...t-wright-29852/

Atlanta: Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College: http://myespn.go.com/blogs/hashmarks/0-6-1...-the-draft.html

Oakland: Darren McFadden, RB, Oakland: http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9011360?source=most_viewed

Kansas City: Chris Long, DE, Virginia: http://www.profootballweekly.com/PFW/NFLDr...harkush2302.htm

New York Jets: Keith Rivers, OLB, USC: http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=65&f=18...5&t=2365843

New England: Leodis McKelvin, CB, Troy State: http://www.fantasyplayers.com/nfl/HotOffTh...?NOTE_ID=465905

Balitmore: Branden Albert, OG/OT, Virginia : http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/foo...t_the_r_46.html

Dorsey could go to the Rams, Falcons, or Chiefs; Ellis could go to the Chiefs or Ravens but the likelyhood is that IF the Rams select Gholston at #2 as is being reported by Scott Wright and the Falcons decide that they must land a top QB in this draft at #3 as is being reported by Hub Arkush (both very reputable sources) then at a minimum one of the two will fall to us at #9 provided the Saints don't pull a trade with the Chiefs or the Patriots.

[HoosierCat]

If the Rams select Gholston

If if if. FWIW, Per Nawrocki over at PFW, Gholston isn't even in the picture. It's Chris Long vs. Dorsey, with the FO leaning toward Long and the coaching staff very loudly demanding Dorsey (and with a possibility still of...McFadden).

http://www.profootballweekly.com/PFW/NFLDr.../wwhi042208.htm

With the Dolphins having agreed to terms with Michigan OT Jake Long, the Rams can now begin negotiating with their pick, and the way we hear it, they have narrowed their choices down to two selections — Virginia DE Chris Long and LSU DT Glenn Dorsey.

The problem the Rams now face is a very clear division among the top decision makers. The way we hear it, newly appointed executive V.P. of player personnel Billy Devaney, in his first decision-making role, is leaning toward the safest selection, Chris Long.

However, the coaching staff, especially on defense, is not on board with the selection, according to multiple team sources. The way we hear it, the coaches think Dorsey is the best defensive player in the draft and have made their feelings well known in the draft room. In recent meetings, discussions have become so heated that a prominent member of the coaching staff was asked to leave the room after piping in with his opinion of the less desirable (in his opinion) Long.

At the heart of the debate is what the Rams’ defense needs most and where precisely Long would play in their defense. Their top need was clearly offensive tackle, but an argument could be made that the team is in more dire need of help off the edges, with Leonard Little approaching his mid-30s and James Hall struggling to stay healthy and produce.

For Jim Haslett’s 4-3 pressure defense to be effective, he needs speed coming off the edges, and Long does not provide great edge burst. Sources say Long is rated considerably lower than Dorsey on the Rams’ draft board, but team needs appear to be driving the Rams’ decision. Confounding the problem was the selection of DT Adam Carriker in the first round a year ago, not to mention all of the defensive tackles the Rams have drafted in recent years, including Jimmy Kennedy, Damione Lewis and Ryan Pickett.

“The best spot to play Carriker is over the guard,” one evaluator said. “He can move outside on third downs, but he is best at the three-technique position. I don’t know how anyone could justify spending the second overall pick on another defensive tackle. If they do, the building is doomed. They will be known for all the defensive tackles they messed up in the 2000s. They should be trying to trade down.”

The Saints have made attempts to trade up, having contacted the Rams, Falcons and Chiefs, among others, and have already made lowball offers that could begin to escalate with the Dolphins off the clock. With Dorsey now available at No. 2, and Falcons first-year GM Thomas Dimitroff believed to have Dorsey stacked most highly on his draft board, the Saints could be forced to pull the trigger with St. Louis if they want to land the local standout. However, with very few potential suitors for the No. 2 overall pick, the Saints could hold their cards and potentially get away with exchanging little.

The other issue that could block a trade, the way we hear it, is that the Saints are looking to hold on to their second-round pick in the event they can swing a trade with the Giants for TE Jeremy Shockey.

As a result, the Saints are less likely to give up much, and the Rams could be forced to choose between Dorsey or Long, as much as a trade down would benefit their roster and allow them to acquire multiple picks to fill pressing needs on both lines, especially at offensive tackle.

The wild card, the way we hear it, with RB Steven Jackson struggling to stay healthy and a decision needed to be made on his future, is the Rams’ top-rated player, Darren McFadden, which could open the door for Jackson to be traded. Head coach Scott Linehan has made character a point of emphasis in the selection process, as has Devaney, which lessens the likelihood that the Arkansas back would be drafted second overall. However, if the Rams were to truly follow their board, McFadden would be playing in St. Louis next season.

[HoosierCat]

Here's Don Banks' take on how the top 10 will fall post-Jake...

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writ...ex.html?eref=T1

...still sees a shot for us getting Ellis, but all kind of craziness could start around the Raiders' pick.