I know the odds are extremely against this happening. But what if it happened? Could we still pick someone else? What would the ruling on that be? I dont mean this to be spam, I'd just like to know the answer.
Well, if we didn't draft him until Saturday and he died on Sunday, I'm pretty sure we would be SOL. It's not like there were be a do over.
Opie and I were hired to make sure no one messes with Mr. Long...if you catch my drift... EDIT: I had a photo here of the Boondock Saints...apparently somone didnt like that I linked it...
Damn I wish Cam was here, we could figure out about his family and maybe pick up his 6 year old brother with the top pick for minimum salary.
I'd fathom a guess that the contract would be effective at 12:15 p.m. Saturday (or whenever 15 minutes has elapsed off the clock), but without seeing the terms I couldn't tell you with certainty. I'm not a lawyer, but I would imagine we have language in the contract to protect us from this morbid and unlikely event.
I would assume that we would be screwed. Especially if the contract is already a done deal. However, i guess what matters is... are we allowed to have him sign the deal, before the draft started? Judging by how things went today and the stuff you read out there... Id say yes. Because everywhere is reporting that its a done deal. So if he is under contract, and something awful does happen. we're stuck with having to deal with it, and plan for pick #32. I don't know if that is the real answer to your question, however its my interpretation of it.
I don't think it's a contract question. It's an NFL question. We haven't made the pick yet. That cannot happen until Saturday, 12 noon eastern time. I don't care who wrote the contract (unless Jake Long wrote it himself) there will be a voidable clause or a contingent clause. If a person passes away (heaven forbids, lets hope that doesn't happen) there should be no contract.
Ireland specifically said he IS a Miami Dolphin. That means we already drove him off the lot. Unless we have gap insurance, we're sol.
I am not privvy to the whole league, but can you actually sign a person to a team who graduated this year before the draft? What I am trying to ask badly is does the draft have to be held in the year that the player is eligible to join the NFL before a player is able to join a team? Otherwise couldn't teams just sign some of the lower round candidates now to make sure they get them before draft or UDFA? I think that the draft has to be held before they can sign a team. I do think though that teams and players can come to an agreement of a contract before the draft, so that when they are drafted all they have to do is sign and voila, they are an NFL player.
I'm pretty sure that the pick has made, and the contract has been signed. He's a Miami Dolphin. http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/8060536
I dont think it matters that the pick hasnt been made yet. We have the first pick... which essentially means we have the rights to anyone in the draft at that point until we make a choice. We've chosen Jake, we've signed him to a contract, we've introduced him to the world... Its a done deal. he's ours. I don't think theres any if's, and's or but's about it. I dont know for sure, its a good.. but gloomy question to ask. It would be interesting to see an official NFL statement about it... but once they approve the deal, the Rams are free to negotiate with whoever they want and sign a deal... so... yeah... to mean that means its over and done with.
Well the above post is correct... NFL rules stipulate the draft occurrs on a certain day, this year April 26th. Once the pick is submitted then it is a lock.
Yes, we Just did that today. I see what youre saying, but... No. You couldnt sign later draft picks, because your "turn" hasnt come. The reason we're able to sign jake before the draft is because we have the first pick. So technically we have the rights to anyone in that draft. We can talk to anyone about a contract, because we pick first. Before we signed Jake, St.Louis cant negotiate a contract with anyone, because we have the first pick. But now that our deal with Jake is official, once its approved by the League and Jake is indeed ours, then St.Louis is free to negotiate because they are essentially on the clock, because we've decided, and signed a player. at least that is my understanding from listening to sirius nfl and espn radio all day in the car...
I'm pretty certain that we would just get to pick another player because the pick hasn't been made yet since we haven't been officially on the clock. We agreed to a contract with Jake - we haven't drafted him yet. Then again, if he was to die, I'd trade him to Rick Spielman ...
Interesting question, and the answer is, no doubt, tied to the question of whether the Rams can now start negotiating with a player of their choice. Just gone done reading this snippet: ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported on Tuesday that the St. Louis Rams, who hold the second pick in the NFL draft, were told today by the NFL management council that they do not have permission to begin negotiations with any player now that the Dolphins have signed Long. A league spokesman said there have been internal discussions to determine whether the Rams have the right to negotiate with a player or players. The novelty of Long's early signing Tuesday created some uncertainty. Normally, if the team selecting first signs a player before the draft, it happens in the 24 hours leading up to the first pick, which allows very little time for the team with the second pick. http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/draft08/news/story?id=3358424
I think you are wrong here for several reasons. Despite agreeing to a contract, the draft has not begun yet. Goodell has not walked to the stage and said, "The 2008 NFL Draft has officiall started." Also we still have not officially selected him. Lets say he does die Saturday morning before the draft, we could select someone else. In a similar story, Teams call prospects to not only tell them that they are selecting him, but to make sure they are alive and well. I remember hearing a story about a team (many years ago) drafted a player that had been dead for like a week.
iam sure there is a clause or something if this happend if it was after saturday the phins would be ****ed but if it happend before i think they choose another player, since jake long was never officially selected and since the phins were never put on the clock the dolphins will still be put on the clock saturday and they still have to go up there and make the selection
i would think that his death would void the contract, and Miami could then pick someone else. His death would indeed be a bizarre and tragic event, but could you imagine the chaos that would ensue and the controversy of something like this happening? Even if its not Jake Long, it could happen down the road. I can't say that I wouldn't be intrigued to see who Miami had as #2 on their board.
I remember Len Bias dying after the Celtics drafted him (cocaine.) The Celtics were screwed. This is kind of weird to talk about though. Bad Karma!!! If he is under contract, I think it's tough luck Miami.
The contract is already signed, but in this morbid event we would still be able to pick whoever we wanted on Saturday at 3:01pm. The contract with Jake would be up to the lawyers to sort out in the event. Dumbest thread ever, funny though. Almost worth 2 stars, nah.
Maybe we could pick somebody else, but I'm wondering if we would still owe Long's family any of the money?
I changed the title but hopefully didn't change the spirit of the thread. The thread idea is a great one but the title is putting people off and, God forbid if Jake or his family saw the former thread title.
The idea of the thread is more of whether we would be allowed to pick someone else or not. I don't think there's any substantial chance that Jake will 'have something really bad happen to him' before saturday, I'm just curious as to the resulting situation that would be created if it did happen. Sorry for the harsh title, I figured that would be the only case where the contract would even be considered to be voided.
As I said, the draft hasn't started yet. If so, what's the point of having the draft on the 26th? We could sign someone right after the combine, and so on and so forth. Draft starts 26th at noon eastern. If we sign a draft pick before the draft, and choose someone else, even if the person hasn't passed away, I'm sure that the pick would be valid. The spurned prospect may have a cause of action, or maybe it's built into the contract. But the draft doesn't start until Saturday.
looks like nobody knows for sure Gish... the rarity of the situation has left the NFL dumbfounded as to what to do next (with respect to the Rams and if they are allowed to negotiate or not). So, I doubt they have even thought about what would occur if something aweful happened to Jake.
Jeff said "The contract is signed and Jake Long is a Miami Dolphin." So, Jake please be careful where and how you go cause we want and need you for the next 12 years, ok?!
Well, to be honest, Ireland wouldn't get much brownie points with Jake's mom in the room, if he said "Jake long is a miami dolphin ... unless something happens to him before Saturday!" wouldn't want to piss off moms, Jake a big dude!
