Then he should look for a new team.

 

Good luck to him. Its not going to happen with his injury history the past two years. Add on top of that his decline in play, I just don't see it happening for him.

 

Given Jeff Ireland's tendency to avoid recently injured players, I don't know if Jake stays. But to cut bait on your former, career defining, former all-pro #1 pick? I'm not sure Ireland has the huevos

 

He would be an instant upgrade to whatever San Diego and Chicago think they have. Even if he plays identical to last year.

Martin is much better suited on the left side. We CAN survive this if we need to.

 

That and he was drafted to fit a bruising straight ahead running game (which never really materialized). I'm told he isn't prime WCO material, but I'll leave that for smarter minds than my own to justify.

 

I kind of agree with Elway's recent list, which is eerily close to Ireland's once upon a time. The four key positions in football are:

1. Quarterback (dub)
2. Edge rusher
3. Left tackle
4. Cover corner

Now with
Tannehill, check
Wake, check
Long, question mark
Davis/Smith, nope

 

First let me say the following. I supported picking Jake Long #1 overall. I've been a big fan of his.

But, that doesn't mean that I don't think Jake Long is one of the most overrated players on the team, and in the league for that fact.

Widely viewed as the top tackle next to Joe Thomas, and I once agreed with this. But after the past 2 seasons I've reevaluated and have come to the conclusion that Jake Long has been overrated since he came into the league. His stock was inflated when he was selected #1 overral and then magnified when he was in Dan Henning's offense that statistically used a considerable more amount of blockers in pass protection than the next closest team. Even going back and re-watching games from 2009, it's evident Jake did not have to block the opposing D's RDE/OLB one on one nearly has much as he had to in Brian Dabbol and Mike Sherman/Philbin's offense.

So, while I do think the last two seasons worth of declining play have some to do with the injuries, I'm more inclined to believe it has to do with the change in offensive blocking schemes.

With that said, I still think he's a good player. Somewhere amongst the top 10-15 in the league. But not in the same class as a Thomas or Clady.

If he drops his asking price to around 7 million over 5 years, I'd love to get a deal done. But I don't see that happening. (Although I wouldn't be surprised if the rest of the league saw what I saw with money on the line.)

 

This a no brainer for the Dolphins. Martin is the LT, and you dont pay your RT 11 mil. Goodbye Jake.

 

Smiley? Grove?

Or do you mean our own oft injured players

 

"Then he will block in the shade"

is all I thought of when I read this post.

 

Don't be surprised if he resigns, when he realizes no one is going to pay him that much. He might as well settle for less with Miami where he is settled in.

 

None of those guys are making it to 12.

 

How does he look at his game the past two seasons and come up with that number without factoring in that we paid him as the highest paid left tackle in history when we drafted him, and got two sub par years relatively speaking.

Ireland has seemingly put a number value on all of our free agents based on recent performance, and is willing to let them go out and see if there are greener pastures, see where their own projections matches up, and take it or leave it from there..

 

He will test the FA market, and once he figures out nobody will pay that much for him he will return here for less. I would re-sign him at the right price easily.

 

Yep, it is not that I don't want him to be a Dolphin, and it is not my $$$, just think a player cannot play poorly then not take a paycut. IMO, he needs a 1 yr deal, performance laden, and if he pans out pay him that 11 millie.

But even then, LT is just not as important as it once was, Blitzers come from everywhere now.

The old days of base Defense and DE v LT are sort of gone now, some of it still is there as an uptempo offense prevents subs and packages, but still.

Heck, it could be argued that blocking is more important for a Rb in today's NFL, they are the last line of blockers

BUT like Cb's tackling well, the NFL just doesn't recognize that little factoid..yet.

 

I think not only did Ireland put a number on Jakes value but Phibin would not be bothered if we moved on from Jake. Someone on this board touched upon during the season there was more going on then Jakes injuries.

Lets go this scenario.

When Tony and Googz were here they held Jake high on a silver platter. No matter if he had a good game or bad game, Jake was their man and both he and they loved that fact.

Tony is gone and a new staff comes in. The new coach , OC and Oline coach after seeing summer camp no longer hold Jake on the highest level of their totum pole. Perhaps even before summer camp. Philbin is not known to like Players that are high priced and hard to teach.

Its attempted to teach Jake a new system, one of which he does not like. He is asked to change some things in his play and he does not change them. This does not make the people in charge very happy. He eventually does try to change things say, oh, after the Colts game. Problem is, too little too late and then Jake tears his tricep.

Jake on the other hand also is not enamoured with the new HC or other offensive coaches and unless he is paid top dollar, wants out. Start fresh someplace where he can be put on that so called pedestal again. Like I said, someone here touched upon the fact it was more then Jakes injuries that affected his play this year. I now believe that to be true. Jeff Ireland in no way shape or form had anything to do with Jakes disappointment this season either so people cannot lay blame on him.

I had hoped Jake would stay but at this point in time I realize that Jake Long will no longer be a Miami Dolphin. I love the kid but nobody IMO is going to pay this much money on this much of a risk. I am sure teams will want him but 10 or 11 million dollars a year for someone nobody knows can perform at a high level is a huge price to pay. A GM that would pay that kind of money is rolling the dice on his job and his team.

Long story short, it was more then injuries that made Jake slip to his present state. He wants a change of scenery and the coaching staff is okay with that.

 

Exactly, he must have lost his mind to ask for 11 mil after how he has played.

I do think however that LT is still important especially with a young qb. He does not have the experience to sense the pressure on his blind side. Martin lacks strength so I am unsure of how he will be, but hopefully he works out as LT next year.

The O-Line in general did not do very good at run blocking so I agree with that being an important factor for them. We have a young RB and he will need as good of a run blocking O-Line as possible.

 

Just curious, is there any evidence of this happening? What did we ask him to change?

 

You make some good points, I thought myself that he wanted out, but he did come out and say that he wanted to be here, idk at this point, maybe if our value placed will be competitive, he'll get the wake up call, and decide whether or not he really wants to be a dolphin.

 

Could be somewhat of a defining moment for Jeffy, I say adios Jake, don't let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya. And thanks for the first few years of very good performance, too bad it was under Sparano.

 

[video=youtube;NAnpvysqFdE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAnpvysqFdE[/video]

 

Ireland was smart enough to see this happening last year and drafted Martin to replace him. Even the haters need to be happy about that. Give Martin a years worth of battle, and place him where he is supposed to play (LT). He just needs to be stronger and he will play better. I don't think Long really wants to be here. I think he's just being politically correct when he says that.

 

I have felt all along that Ireland will pick an offensive lineman with the 12th pick. I just don't know if any of the three players you mentioned will still be on the board at 12. Warmack might be a possibility at 12, but he will probably also be off the board.

If all four of these top linemen are gone by the time the Dolphins pick, I think they will probably go with the top defensive player left on their board. I just don't see Ireland using the 12th pick on a WR, TE, or RB.

 

I think that Martin remains a HUGE question mark. He didn't play well in college against top defensive ends and he had a very mediocre rookie season. He might end up being a serviceable tackle in the NFL, but I don't ever see him being the long term answer for the Dolphins at right tackle or left tackle. I suspect he will be on his way to another team when his contract is up in a few years.

 

100%.

 

I remember him saying it was up to the Dolphins now if he stays and his wife tweeting they wanted to stay. I do not live down there so not privy to all the news/media. I am sure Jake will stay, if paid to Tom Condons expectations. I cannot see any team dumping large bundles of money on him unless he can prove in the next few weeks he is super healthy again. On the other hand, I am hearing John Jerry is now in the 280ish range LOL. The Jerry info was third hand so not 100% sure. The Long info is almost, but not quite, right from the horses mouth.

 

John Jerry at 280... You so crazy....are you serious?

 

Sorry mis typed. 380 ish

 

Did he lose his legs?

 

I typed the wrong number in, sorry, corrected it right above your post. Again, sorry LOL, yeah they would have to chop him in half to make the 280. Sorry for the typo.

 

I'd cut him right now if true.

 

I actually agree

 

Hes out of shape every friggin year but 380 is crazy. How can anyone gain 50 lbs in 2 months? We will find out at mini camp.