I know it's early and speculative but....... ArmandoSalguero #Dolphins players in the locker room were talking as if Jake Long is done for the year.
This can be a blessing in disguise. If the OL steps it up and doesn't miss a beat, then it will the decision easier come FA.
First thing that entered my mind when I read this was "I hope they miss a beat and stop playing so poorly"
As long as we don't use our 1st round pick on a LT, I don't care what happens with Jake Long anymore. I think Martin played better at his naturral position, but he still has a lot of room for improvement as all rookies do. I wouldn't mind seeing a pick on RT and one at G, just not a 1st or 2nd round pick on either.
We might have just seen Jake's last game as a Fin today. I know it's still early but it doesn't look good.
Man, this is going to be a tough decision. Long has taken a step back this year but he was also banged up. This may actually help us if we want to bring him back because he may be cheaper. My stance is still to see how much he wants, and make a decision from there.
Martin played fine at LT after taking over in my opinion. At the very least he played well enough to justify NOT spending $12 million on an often injured LT that has regressed the last 2 seasons. I would expect us to now use a 2nd round pick on a lineman and let Long walk... Would be nice to use the money we would have used on Jake to get a big time WR (I'm looking at you Wallace).
If he is done for the season, I think his price tag just dropped big time. Now some team may have some money to throw at him but at this point in his career, it would be throwing money away. He may have just become a much cheaper option. I also think Martin played much better over on the left side. His natural position and he looked pretty quick on more than one occassion.
If he is done for this year, then its for sure he's taken his last snap for the Dolphins. Parcells legacy.....
I maintain that Jeff Ireland will not part with Jake Long. A different GM, that's more of an open question.
That would be a gross mistake on his part, and I definitely can see it happening if he stays. It's a pride thing in there too. Long is his baby......I get that.
Exactly. Jake Long was Jeff Ireland's first major call as a GM. He's gone out of his way to defend it as he right call. The guy is taking flack for jettisoning talent that came with baggage. By keeping and paying Jake Long he will show that he's not opposed to paying talent, just doesn't want the baggage.
Re: Jake Long done for the year? Martin played pretty well over there. But I think we have to keep in mind that Chandler Jones wasn't out there today. Next week he'll get Aldon and Justin Smith. Likely won't go so well. At any rate, it appears we'll get a look at the alternative to Jake. - sent from my Android device via Tapatalk -
I don't know the answer to the Jake Long question. It will depend on how Jon Martin plays at LT for the rest of the year especially against guys like Aldon Smith. I wasn't as impressed as most everyone else with respect to his performance today. When you don't have a ton of talent I don't know if it's smart to push universally-recognized talent away. And his struggles on the field and with staying healthy should only serve to make him affordable.
I don't understand this thinking. As if it's either-or. They both agreed on Jake Long. That's a fact. In fact, Parcells was more torn on Jake Long/Matt Ryan than Jeff Ireland.
How much do you think is a reasonable discount from what Jake might have been expecting to what might be the most we will offer, given his injury this year ? $ 2 million per year or up to $ 3 million per year ? Can we low ball him that much and still get him to sign do you think ?
Martin was NOT a problem at LT today, I'd call that a solid performace for a rookie pushed back to LT on the fly. Would anyone be surprised if Jake struggled against Aldon? It will be a major test for the kid, but you have to think even Long would have issues. Martin would be an incredibly cheap option at LT and all that money could go to adding skill players. We should have a good idea by the end of the season. No question that Jake is a beast when healthy and focused. Too bad he has been lacking one or the other for a couple seasons now. If Long and his agent are willing to take a deal around the $8 mil/year range, I would be willing to roll the dice on him coming back to Miami and playing to his ceiling. Will Jake be affordable? Does he want to stay in Miami? I bet Long and his agent will be happy to test the free agent market, and some team will probably overpay, with the hope that Jake will suddenly have a string of healthy seasons.
I think it might actually make the decision harder at this point. Long almost certainly is going to end up taking a pay cut on the open market. At this point you might be in a position to get a bargain, if you've got reason to hope he'll return to form.
I agree .Long was the markee signing for Ireland . Despite his up-and-down play, the Dolphins have told people that keeping impending free agent Jake Long remains a high priority.... Though the Dolphins have made offers to some impending free agents (including Brian Hartline), they oddly have not made one to Randy Starks, a key piece of their defensive line. "Still waiting," he said. "I would like to stay." Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/sports-buzz/#storylink=cpy
I'll update the title to reflect the update. Sprained MCL is 4 to 6 weeks I believe. So yeah, he's most likely done for the rest of the season.
Rotoworld is reporting it might be a Torn Triceps. http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/4712/jake-long Either way, MCL, Triceps, whatever, with only 4 games left I think it's a safe assumption that he is going to be shelved.
Starks arguably deserves an extension more than anyone else that is an impending free agent. I don't think Miami's D-line is in a position where they can just plug in someone else and get Starks' production.
and that would be yet another dumb arse decision by ireland odrich is no where near the player starks is , i wouldnt want odrich as our starting dt back up yes !
IF Ireland is here in the offseason (I think he will be, but who knows?), I think he has enough foresight to feel this Long issue through and take EVERYTHING into consideration when it comes to re-signing or letting him walk. I think if you are a GM of an NFL team, this is an absolute must. And regardless of draft status, a player is designated to his production on the field when it is all said and done. How many players get the golden ticket even though they choose to wield guns in strip bars or drive drunk? I seriously doubt Ireland lets ego filter into his decision-making process regarding Long. And if so, he should have never had the job in the first place.....
There's nothing wrong with that as long as he's paid for what he's worth, which at the moment is getting closer and closer to the point of paying him to put him at RT. I seriously doubt Ireland would overpay Jake just to keep him around if Martin continues the promising appearance at LT.
.... and he had a sack against Michael Oher when Oher was a rookie I believe. I think Martin played well for a rookie at his first start at left tackle in nearly a year.