Per Jason La Canfora, the tag is off as Kansas City just inked Tamba Hali for 5-years, $60 million. $35 million guaranteed. Hali (27) had a career-high 14.5 sacks last year. He's decent but not great against the run, whereas Wake seemed to come into his own as a run defender over the course of the season. If there's one thing that might keep Wake's price tag down, it's that he's already 29 years old. And I wouldn't expect the Dolphins to engage until the season begins and they see what he's bringing to real games. At any rate, this is probably in the neighborhood of where negotiations will begin.
What will also keep his price down is the fact he has 2 more years on his contract. He'll be lucky to get half that.
KC traded Jared Allen at his peak and they got what a #1 and a #3? Do think they should up his contract though, he is way out performing his deal, so much so even penny pinching Ireland should recognize that he should have something done for him.
Let me ask this.... if we get five games in and it's clear we are screwed at QB, would we consider trading Wake? Packaging Wake and picks for a player, or trading Wake for a high pick in next year's draft may seem insane to some.. but it might seem like the best thing to do if our QB play this year is horrendous. I think Wake and next year's 1st and 2nd may be enough to get Luck... no? It would make more sense to me to turn Wake into a QB somehow than to simply let him leave when he gets too expensive for us.
I trust Ireland's ability to find another pass rusher to replace Wake if we trade him away. I would only trade him away if it meant a QB, though.
I think we'd be dumb not to pay him now or very early into the season. If we wait and he lights it up, then we're really gonna have to break the bank to keep him.
**** that. We'd be getting rid of our best player and one of the/if not the biggest pieces of our D, only to gamble and hope that it's enough to get Luck. What if we did trade Wake, the D falls apart, and we still don't get Luck? Sell the franchise? lol No thanks. Sounds like a great way to get back to 1-15 territory.
Right now Wake is a 1 year wonder, and you don't wanna pay someone like that too quickly. If he starts off hot again, you get his agent on the phone asap. But if wake only notches 1-2 sacks in the first couple games, you wait til the offseason to evaluate the situation.
If we could get a 1st and a 3rd for him I'd do it in a heartbeat. Only problem there is I see our FO taking another 3-4 defensive end in the first to go along with a marginal WR in the 3rd...haha
I too am confident in Ireland's ability to find and propagate formidable linebacking infrastructure, and believe we should use whatever means necessary, including Wake to acquire Luck. The bidding could get steep in next years QB sweepstakes, and Wake's commensurate impact value, while hardly expendable at the moment , imo would be, if his trade sends Luck to Miami.
I'd rather just keep Wake and add a QB. We shouldn't just assume Ireland can just find another elite pass rusher. There are only a handful of them in the league and we've got one of them. It is one of the cornerstone positions in the league (edge rusher). And it took Wake a couple of seasons to get there. If we're gonna trade someone, it should be from the defensive line, where we have an embarrassment of riches.
This is the way to do it. Let say your playing blackjack you have a 10 of hearts and a ace of spades. Would you throw the ace down and ask for your luck on another card? Only way is if its a qb of say Peyton caliber in the trade other wise keep him and find another avenue. 2 or 3 more years of service before tradeing him out. Use that prime.
Hell yeah, I do that deal. If he was 25 I'd keep him but hes not hes 29 almost 30. If past history is a teacher you can build a championship defense using castoff and scrapheap players. J.J., Saban, and now the trio (Parcells, Ireland, Nolan) built hellified defenses. If only we could find quality offenses coaches to build a championship offense.
Some of you guys surprise me. With the exception of Dan Marino, I have no problem trading ANY player we have ever had if we got enough for him in return. As much as I like Cam Wake if I could get a 1st and a 2nd or a 1st and a 3rd for him he'd be on a plane so fast he'd still be in yesterdays underwear. Remember one thing about Wake the dude is what 29? Sure he's got his best football ahead of him, but how much more?