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http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/draft08/news/story?id=3358424

Sources: Dolphins agree to deal Long, will select OT No. 1 overall

ESPN.com news services
Updated: April 22, 2008, 12:53 PM ET

The Miami Dolphins have reached a contract agreement with Michigan offensive tackle Jake Long, sources told ESPN's Chris Mortensen. The announcement will come at a 1:45 p.m. news conference.

The NFL draft is April 26 and 27 on ESPN, starting at 3 p.m. ET. For updated coverage, bookmark our Draft Central page. Index

Despite speculation that Dolphins vice president of football operations Bill Parcells really had planned to select Ohio State defensive end Vernon Gholston or Virginia defensive end Chris Long, sources told ESPN's Michael Smith that since the Dolphins opened negotiations with Jake Long they were talking to him exclusively.

Long, a 6-foot-7, 313-pound senior who moved to left tackle in 2006 and started his final 26 games, was an All-America selection and Big Ten lineman of the year in each of his last two seasons.

Offensive line is considered the biggest need for the Dolphins, who went 1-15 last year.

This is the right thing to do. It's not sexy, but it's what we need.

If things work out with this guy, it might not sell a lot of jerseys or put butts in the seats, but we'll be thankful in 10 years when he's still on the team.

  Per Adam Schefter of NFL Network the deal is five years, $57.5 million dollars, with $30 million guaranteed.

I swear, I am dancing a freakin' happy dance around my desk right now...


Woo-hoo!!

Question...I thought it alittle odd..just only a 5 year deal and not a 6 year deal...

Do you guy's think that's because of the Possible opting out of the CBA in November,possible player lock out in 2011?

Roughly I suck at math...9.5 million a year 6 year deal...11 million deal at 5 years....(I know it will break down differently)

P.S. Yeah! I'm happy we signed him

well, this is good news, yay !

I can't help but find this kinda anti-climactic.

I wish this stuff would just be announced at the draft.

I agree. I like surprises

  It does take away some of the drama before the Draft, but I would rather have this deal done now, than later.

I agree. I'd hate to see a long holdout that goes on and on, and makes animosity towards the player grow.

Woo Hoo!  Happy times, Miami now has bookend tackles!  I really like this pick.  It is a little anti-climactic, but knowing there won't be a long holdout by the 'Fins # 1 pick is nice.

  Another great thing about this deal, is that it's less than what last year's number one overall pick got.

I like surprises in some things... When it's my birthday and someone gets me a cool present, or the hot chick down the block gets a new tongue-ring, great! Surprise me then. When it comes to the rebuilding of the Dolphins, I am just happy to see the right decision made, and then executed. It's been a while since we've seen a lot of that around here.

I am glad that we can get him signed.  I think this is a new trend in the NFL -- getting the first pick locked up early, early, early.  I don't want anyone hanging around in contract negotiations, that's for sure.

This is great news, because barring some really random trade back into the first round which isn't going to happen, we're not drafting Matt Ryan!

EVERYONE BE HAPPY!!!!!

he's a stud... i've been watching him for a couple of years now. fins are pretty confident that he is going to play left tackle and that's the most important thing. if he can translate his pancake blocking in the run game, and brick wall in the passing game to the nfl level at left tackle, then this will transform the dolphins offense for the next 10 years.

let's just hope he's no gallery!

  The good news just keeps on coming!   :D

  This is an awesome move by Parcells/Ireland/Sparano.  Jake Long has the attitude and the ability to be an all-pro LT in this league for many, many years to come.  It is a great thing that Miami finally has football people making football decisions.  Way to go Miami Dolphins by selecting Jake Long #1.  Excellent Move!!!

Well Mel kiper and I are tied at 1. Seriously this was the obvious choice. Just don't take the entire 10 minutes to make the selection.

guess i'm not going to the draft this year!

http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sports_seasonticket/2008/04/fins-press-conf.html

Fins: Jake Long press conference (update)

Smart. Tough. Disciplined.

That is the new signage posted in the Dolphins auditorium.

And those are words that Tony Sparano used, in order, to describe Jake Long during the press conference.

It's not coincidence.

This was about finding a smart, tough, disciplined player.

And this was about showing that the Dolphins can again become a smart, tough, disciplined organization. This signing was as much about setting the tone, to start changing the culture, as it was about finding a perennial All-Pro.

Though the Dolphins hope they did that too.

Signing Jake Long so early, and making sure he is on camp on time, allows the new regime to make it known that things will be different around here.

It also allows Jeff Ireland to concentrate on the 32nd overall pick -- and on any potential trades over the weekend.

Long acknowledged that he needs to get used to the speed of the game.

As soon as the press conference ended, I did a live radio interview along with former University of Miami (and NFL) offensive tackle Leon Searcy, who was once a first-round choice of the Steelers. Searcy also played for Mike Maser, who is now the Dolphins offensive line coach.

Searcy has watched Long quite a bit, and has been talking him up for weeks. He believes that Long will make "five, six or seven Pro Bowls." He says that, to handle the speed-rushers, Long needs to "kickstart faster" and learn to bend at the knees rather than the waist. He said that fans should expect some struggles over the first three years, because an "offensive lineman is like a fine wine." Searcy also believed that Vernon Carey was out of position at left tackle.

When asked to compare himself to a current player, Long picked Patriots left tackle Matt Light. Long had just two penalties during his college career.

Smart. Tough. Disciplined.

That's the new motto around here.

That, as much as anything, explains the selection.

> Posted by Ethan J. Skolnick at 12:03:02 PM

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/palmbeach/miamidolphins/entries/2008/04/22/dolphins_make_rookie_pillar_of.html

Dolphins make rookie pillar of offensive line

Tim Graham | Tuesday, April 22, 2008, 03:03 PM

Meet your new franchise left tackle, Dolfans.

The Dolphins today signed Michigan tackle Jake Long to a five-year deal worth $57.5 million and immediately labeled him their left-side bodyguard.

The Dolphins have been looking for a player to fill that critical position since Richmond Webb skipped town, and while draftniks have been debating the merits of putting a rookie in the premier position on the offensive line, neither GM Jeff Ireland nor coach Tony Sparano expressed any concern about Long parking there for a while.

“There’s no secret that left tackle is a very pivotal part of your building process,” Ireland said. “It’s the most important part of the offensive line, in my opinion. (Taking Long) met the needs of our team, and it met the board value as well.”

Said Sparano: “We see Jake as a left tackle. Left tackle was our need. That’s where he’s going to be playing for us.”

Dolphins football ops guru Bill Parcells didn’t attend today’s news conference in Davie, but given his influence over both Ireland and Sparano, we can safely assume he feels the same.

“Jake was our guy from the beginning,” Ireland said. “I don’t make it a habit of telling you what’s on our board, but Jake was on the top of our board for a long time. In regard to debate, there wasn’t a whole lot. We felt comfortable about the player. We think he’s the best tackle in the draft, and we thought it was good fit for the Miami Dolphins.”

The pick also means Vernon Carey can move back to his natural right tackle position.
 

Oh, draft day will be climactic.  This is Miami, after all.  All this and then on Saturday we'll hear this:

"With the number 1 selection in the 2008 draft the Miami Dolphins select Jeb Parker, kicker, University of North Dakota."

It sold one jersey, that's for sure.


I've said this before in another thread, but I should put it here as well.  QB contracts are at a premium, and the Dolphins made that clear to Long.  It's unfair to use Jamarcus Russell's contract as a measuring stick.  A more realistic measuring stick would be Joe Thomas's contract.

Jake Long's deal is a year SHORTER than Russell's, for almost the same amount of money. I'm thrilled with the signing, but we certainly didn't get a discount.

I just hope he turns out to be as good as the last Left Tackle we took in the first round.

I'll echo what many of you have already said.   I think this is a great pick.  Offensive success starts with the front line.  A great front line will make a good running back great and will give a QB the time they need to find open receivers.  It is also great that they have already agreed to terms.  So many rookies end up being useless their first year because they hold out and are so far behind by the time they report that they don't catch up til mid season.  I think this is definitely a step in the right direction for the team.

Not only did the Fin's not get a discount, but they are paying Long more money than Russell got. Look at the math...

The Russell deal:

The Raiders and Russell's agents agreed at midday Tuesday on a six-year, $61 million rookie contract that guarantees him $32 million

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/09/11/SPO4S3G48.DTL

Which means he gets an average of $5.33 million a year guaranteed ($32M divided by 6 seasons)

The Long deal:

They signed the Michigan left tackle to a five-year contract with $30 million guaranteed, and they'll select him with the top pick in the draft Saturday.

Also from the same article:
Long's total contract package is for $57.75 million, said a person familiar with the negotiations who didn't want to be identified because the Dolphins declined to reveal terms.

http://www.miamiherald.com/858/story/505577.html

So Long's deal averages out to $6 million a year guaranteed ($30 M divided by 5 seasons).

The annual contract value also averages out higher for Long:
Russell- $10 M per year ($60M divided by 6 years)
Long-  $11.55M per year ($57.5M divided by 5 years)

All that said, I am happy the deal is done and happy with the pick.

^^
So my math wasn't too far off.. :o :D..(page one of this thread)

How much will this put Miami in the hole?

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/football/pro/dolphins/sfl-draftsign042208,0,3632394.story

Dolphins sign Michigan tackle Jake Long as No. 1 pick

By Harvey Fialkov
Sun-Sentinel.com

6:06 PM EDT, April 22, 2008

DAVIE - The Dolphins are officially off the clock after signing Michigan offensive tackle Jake Long Tuesday morning, wrapping up the overall No. 1 pick of the 2008 draft four days early.

The 6-foot-7, 313-pound Long signed a five-year contract worth $57.5 million with $30 million guaranteed. Long's agent, Tom Condon, who was present along with Long's parents John and Denise, wouldn't confirm the figures.

"I'm very excited and honored to be able to be part of the Miami Dolphins and this organization,'' said Long, wearing a Dolphins orange hat with tan pants and beige shirt. "I want to thank my agent and the Miami Dolphins for getting this deal done so now I could start worrying about football and not the other stuff, just making myself better and learning, getting prepared for the NFL.''

Despite rampant speculation that the Dolphins were interested in Virginia defensive end Chris Long and Ohio State defensive end Vernon Gholston, Dolphins General Manager Jeff Ireland said there was very little debate and that Jake Long, "was our guy.''

"I don't make it a habit telling you what's on our board but Jake Long was on the top of our board for a long time,'' said Ireland, who added that serious negotiations began about a week ago. "In regards to debate, there wasn't a whole lot of debate. We felt comfortable with the player. We think he's the best tackle in the draft and we thought it was a good fit for the Miami Dolphins.''

Ireland said by locking up the top pick so early gives the Dolphins a huge advantage in addressing the rest of the draft and how to use their eight remaining picks, including two in the second round.

"It's absolutely an advantage,'' Ireland said. "Because now we can work on what we're going to do at 32, what we're doing regarding trades. We don't have to worry about anything else other than that what we're doing for the second pick on.''

Dolphins coach Tony Sparano made it clear that Long was drafted to be the starting left tackle, meaning that Vernon Carey will return to his more comfortable spot at right tackle.

"We see Jake as a left tackle. Left tackle is our need and that's where he's going to playing for us,'' Sparano said. "He's very tough. He's smart. He's disciplined. Those are the people we want to surround ourselves here with the Miami Dolphins.''

Although Dolphins vice president of football operations Bill Parcells wasn't present at the press conference, Ireland and Condon said he was very much involved in the entire process.

Sparano said the fact that Long, 22, gave up just three sacks and committed only two penalties in four years at Michigan was a factor in their decision.

Ireland added that there was a possibility that the Dolphins might try to move down from their next pick at 32 to get back into the first round. He admitted that he liked Delaware quarterback Joe Flacco and Long also heaped praise on Michigan quarterback Chad Henne, who has met with the Dolphins on several different occasions since finishing his senior season.

Coming to terms this early in the draft with the top pick prevents a protracted holdout like the one Oakland had with quarterback JaMarcus Russell last season and the Dolphins had with running back Ronnie Brown, the No. 2 pick, in 2005.

"I'm just going to come in here and do the same thing I've been doing,'' said Long, who arrived in South Florida Tuesday morning and will head to New York Wednesday for Saturday's draft at Radio City Music Hall. "Work hard, try to be a good leader, make myself better and help make the team better.''

Signing Long four days before the draft, which begins at 3 p.m. Saturday means the St. Louis Rams can now begin negotiating a contract with its possible selection.

Most NFL executives and draft analysts say this is the best year for offensive tackles in more than a decade, and believe as many as six could be taken in the first round.

The Dolphins still have a glaring hole on the starting line -- left guard. Last week Sparano said the plan is to fill that spot through the draft, allowing the line to "get younger."

Long becomes the third offensive tackle to be taken with the overall top pick, joining Orlando Pace in 1997 and Hall of Famer Ron Yary in 1968. It marks the second time the Dolphins had the top pick. In 1966, their inaugural season, they drafted running back Jim Grabowski.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/sfl-flsplong23sbapr23,0,1072845.story

Dolphins in for the Long haul

Tackle signs five-year, $57.75 million deal as draft's top pick

By Harvey Fialkov | South Florida Sun-Sentinel
April 23, 2008

DAVIE - So much for draft-day drama.  The Dolphins are off the clock after signing Michigan tackle Jake Long on Tuesday morning, making him the No. 1 pick of the NFL Draft four days before they had to. The early signing ended weeks of speculation involving the Dolphins' pick, which draft pundits felt would come down to Long, Virginia defensive end Chris Long or possibly Ohio State defensive end Vernon Gholston.

"Jake was our guy from the beginning," said Dolphins General Manager Jeff Ireland, who attended the mid-afternoon news conference with Long, coach Tony Sparano, Long's parents, Denise and John, and his agent, Tom Condon. "I don't make it a habit of telling you what's on our board, but Jake Long was on the top of our board for a long time. ... There wasn't a whole lot of debate. We all kind of felt comfortable with the player. We think he's the best tackle in the draft. We thought it was a good fit for the Miami Dolphins."

The 6-foot-7, 315-pound Long, who gave up just three sacks while committing only two penalties in four years at Michigan, seemed relieved that the five-year deal, worth $57.75 million with $30 million guaranteed, was completed so quickly.

"I just have to worry about getting in here, playing, making myself better, learning and getting prepared for the NFL," said Long, wearing a Dolphins cap. "I don't think it has sunk in yet. It is something every kid dreams about."

Long arrived via commercial flight Tuesday morning and will fly to New York today to prepare for what should be an anticlimactic draft weekend for him at Radio City Music Hall. Condon said of his three high-profile college clients — Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan and Gholston — he and the Dolphins only discussed Long. Last year's overall No. 1 pick, quarterback JaMarcus Russell, received a six-year deal worth $68 million with $31.5 million guaranteed.

"It was a very straightforward negotiation," Condon said. "They didn't leverage us with other players, and we didn't tell them we wanted to be on a different team."

The premature signing of the top pick is the fifth earliest since 1970, with retired defensive end Bruce Smith the standard bearer, signing with the Bills in 1985 two months and eight days before draft day.

Sparano was thrilled to get the deal done so as to avoid a protracted holdout like Russell went through last year and the Dolphins endured with running back Ronnie Brown, the No. 2 pick, in 2005. Ireland felt it was "absolutely an advantage," because he could now plot trades and concentrate on his remaining eight picks.

Despite repeated comments from NFL Network draft pundit Mike Mayock saying that Long is more suited to play the right side because of a lack of foot speed, Sparano put that to rest.

"Left tackle is our need, and that's where he's going to play for us," Sparano said. "He's very tough. He's smart. He's disciplined. Those are the people we want to surround ourselves [with]."

Incumbent left tackle Vernon Carey, the last offensive lineman drafted by the Dolphins in the first round (19th in 2004), will shift back to right tackle, where he played his first three seasons. The critical position has been in flux since Richmond Webb left after the 2000 season after earning seven Pro Bowl berths while protecting the blind side of Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino.

Long, 22, is the third offensive tackle ever taken with the first pick, joining Orlando Pace (1979) and Hall of Famer Ron Yary (1968). The Dolphins have drafted eight offensive linemen in the first round, most notably Webb (No. 9 in 1990) and fellow Michigan lineman Jon Giesler (24th in '79). Dolphins Vice President of Football Operations Bill Parcells wasn't present, but, Condon said, "you'd have to assume Coach Parcells was aware of what's going on all the time."

The pick certainly had Parcells' fingerprints. One of Parcells' all-time favorite players while coaching the Giants and Jets was 6-7, 308-pound left tackle Jumbo Elliott from Michigan.

Sound familiar?

F***! Jumbo Elliot!!!! I'll NEVER forget what he did that monday night against us... >:(

Every Dolphins fan will be expected to mail a $5 payment to the team prior to each season for the duration of Jake's contract. Upgrade to an Aqua Membership, and you get a T-shirt with a picture of Jake and the caption...

"Put him on my tab."

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/dolphins/content/sports/epaper/2008/04/23/a1c_george_0423.html

Dolphins make the right move

By Dave George
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

DAVIE — Be honest. If Cam Cameron were the one announcing that Jake Long is the Miami Dolphins' No. 1 draft pick, frazzled South Florida fans would be screaming bloody murder today.

Instead, it's Bill Parcells spending the top overall pick on an offensive tackle from Michigan and doing it four days before the draft is conducted, which virtually eliminates the possibility of another team making a late trade offer.

This, of course, is more than acceptable. It's commendable. It's Big Tuna commencing what promises to be an impressive haul.

Such is the power of Parcells, and I have no argument with it. Between him and head coach Tony Sparano, a former offensive line coach, Long's potential will be stretched to the limit.

Maybe that puts him in the Pro Bowl as a rookie, which is what happened last year to Cleveland's Joe Thomas, another massive left tackle who, like Long, is from the bulldozing Big Ten.

Maybe Long takes his lumps as a rookie but hangs in there and becomes a trusted starter for nine seasons. That describes the career of Jon Giesler, another Michigan tackle who was the Dolphins' first-round pick in 1979.

Maybe, just maybe, this 6-foot-7, 315-pound boulder of a man becomes another Richmond Webb, who came to Miami in the first round in 1990 and earned Pro Bowl recognition in his first seven seasons as Dan Marino's blind-side bouncer.

Pick your scenario, one of these or anything in between, but it's difficult to imagine that this guy will be a total bust. Offensive linemen have been far more reliable in Miami's first-round draft history than sparkly skill players.

This Long shot, in other words, is so much safer than Yatil Green or John Avery or Ted Ginn Jr. turned out to be.

And when you're dealing with a 1-15 team that has problems everywhere, safe is a very good place to start.

The dam broke on this franchise last season, pure and simple.

This is not the time for calling together a team of engineers to study the situation and advise which materials are rated highest for future dam construction.

The thing to do now is to throw the sturdiest available gob of mud and sticks and stones at the problem, to buy time, to slow the flooding.

Big Jake is that enormous gob, and proud of it.

The Dolphins, meanwhile, are patting themselves on the back for getting this contract signed and out of the way. The Oakland Raiders went deep into the regular season negotiating with quarterback JaMarcus Russell, the No. 1 pick overall in 2007.

What a waste, as noted by the Raiders' return to the top of the first round again Saturday, at No. 4.

"It's really important for us," said Sparano, "to know that Jake will be on the field for us on time when training camp begins in July."

Forget July. Long was at Dolphins camp Tuesday and fully committed to the program with a week of April still to burn. His father, John, a towering foundry worker from Lapeer, Mich., was there, too, but politely declined the opportunity to speak with reporters.

Jake didn't really have all that much to say, either, other than to repeatedly express his relief at getting this draft business out of the way.

Football is the prime focus now, he said, and if you doubt it, consider Long's answer to a question about how he wants to spend his $30 million signing bonus.

"I don't know," he said. "I'll figure it out when I get it, I guess."

Darren McFadden or Matt Ryan or Glenn Dorsey might have had something flashier to say. Chris Long, son of Howie, may even be practicing his draft-day script.

Miami's personnel team never wanted any of those stars as much as they wanted Jake, if you listen to Dolphins General Manager Jeff Ireland. Keeping it simple is the key here, especially for Ireland, who blurted out last week that the team was looking for a player who would be "a defensive pillar" for years to come.

Who cares if it was an innocent slip or subterfuge? The Rams are on the clock now. Let them deal with the interrogators. The Dolphins can back away from all that drama until the second round, if they wish, or they can commit themselves to the heavy lifting of draft-day trades.

Jason Taylor, a valuable asset, could be gone by week's end, and even if JT postpones his Hollywood makeover for two or three more seasons, his Dolphins career will end just as Long's is hitting full stride.

Long will be here when the Dolphins are good again. Having survived a jump from the second story of a burning building four years ago, he's built to last.

"I'm a very nice guy off the field," Long said. "But when I buckle up my helmet, I change. It's a football mind-set. Go out and try to bury your opponent."

That should comfort whoever winds up playing quarterback for Miami. Yes, there are major holes yet to fill this summer, on both sides of the ball.

Given the talent pool available in this draft, however, Parcells took the straightest, shortest step he could take toward guaranteed improvement.

The Dolphins have their pillar in Long, and a pile-driver, too.

I seriously doubt we would be holding Cameron's feet to the fire if he picked an O-lineman especially one as good as Long.  Long is a necessity, while Ginn was and still is a luxury.  Even though I would have liked Chris I'm happy. 

Let's trade away our first round pick for next year.  No way in hell we can afford another top fiver.

Get a couple of later picks.  They come cheaper and we can get better value for them.  Like the way we did with Booker and Satele

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/sfl-hyde23sbapr23,0,2720335.column

Vaunted No. 1 pick is met with little fanfare, lots to learn

Dave Hyde
Sports Columnist

April 23, 2008

DAVIE - Well now, this is how a draft pick should be introduced. No staged fuss. No stuffed suits. No commissioner shaking hands and no national television following every step in the manner that typically happens for the NFL's top draft pick.

On Tuesday, the new guy arrived at his new office with a simple thought on his mind.

"I'm ready to work," Jake Long said.

What else would you expect from the son of a foundry worker? It's a simple story, really. A strong, hard-working father raises a strong, hard-working son, who puts all of his muscle into football instead of a 9-to-5 job.

There's nothing more to it, except for the $57.75 million contract the parents watched the son sign Tuesday. That made him the NFL's richest offensive lineman.

From the Long family's perspective, it must be the American dream come true.

"The only time we've been in Florida was for the Capital One Bowl when Michigan played there," the father, John, said.

And from the Dolphins' perspective? Well, it sounded as easy as opening a door to the next era. They needed to get bigger? They got bigger. They needed to get tougher? They got tougher.

They needed to get better?

Well, let's put our shoes on the table and wait a while on that answer.

Let's agree, at 6-7 and 315 pounds, Long can block out the sun. But no one will know for several months if he can block like Richmond Webb or Billy Milner.

Those were the two Dolphins offensive tackles and No. 1 picks in the previous generation. Their headlines and hopes measured the same as Long's do on this day after. Webb became a star in his career, a constant bodyguard for Dan Marino. Milner did nothing and was out of the league in a few years.

So the lesson about draft day is teams make mistakes and you forecast greatness at your own peril. The good news for Dolphins fans today isn't so much that Long became the first pick overall, considering several players would have made sense for this talent-starved team.

The good news is that Long is signed, sealed and ready to learn. That it came four days before the draft actually happens means the Dolphins' new management team of Bill Parcells and Jeff Ireland hadn't gotten a sniff of interest from any team about trading up for the pick.

It also means Long won't miss most of training camp in a contract stalemate, the way it happened for the last top pick overall, quarterback JaMarcus Russell of Oakland. The Dolphins, too, have a tradition of trouble signing picks.

Ted Ginn Jr. was the latest. He wasn't signed until after rookies reported for training camp in late July. Pro football is far more complicated than college football, and the cram course can begin now for Long.

"I am going to have to get used to the speed of the game and the speed rushers," Long said. "That will come in time, and that's why I am glad I'm here early."

He'll be a left tackle, too. Coach Tony Sparano made that clear when some scouts wondered if he's quick enough to play there.

Left tackle has become one of the four core positions in football as the critical barrier between the quarterback and the game's best pass rushers.

The other three are quarterback, pass rusher and cornerback. The Dolphins have none of those settled, not really, not with John Beck in his second year and Jason Taylor approaching 34.

So Long is the start of the next Dolphins era. And if we've learned anything from Dolphins eras around here, it's they're all traced to draft picks.

Jimmy Johnson never hit pay dirt on an offensive player. Dave Wannstedt never made much sense on draft day. Randy Mueller will come out looking pretty smart, when the dust has settled, but nothing settled soon enough for him to stay.

And Paul Warfield came via a trade on Don Shula's first draft as a Dolphin.

Now comes Long, son of a foundry worker and a deli-shop employee, promising to bring that kind of strong work ethic with him.

"Tough, strong, disciplined," Sparano said in describing Long.

Those are the exact words describing this new era painted on the wall above where Long was introduced. He sat there, looking the part, the way every top draft pick always does. Get to work, kid. Your new team needs saving.

I hope this was the right move...

All we need now is a QB worth protecting.

  Who says we don't already have one?   ;)

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/dolphins/content/sports/epaper/2008/04/23/0423stoda.html

Commentary: Jake Long could find a role model in Richmond Webb

By GREG STODA
Palm Beach Post Columnist

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

The man on the phone from Houston says he's "chillin' - trying not to do too, too much."

But near the end of the conversation Wednesday, without presumption, he says something the Miami Dolphins' honchos should hear and heed by getting the message to a certain someone.

"I'd love to talk to Jake," he says. "Give him my number."

Mr. Long, a Mr. Richmond Webb awaits your call.

Webb is who the Dolphins hope Long grows up to be. Webb was a first-round pick (ninth overall) by Miami in 1990 and played 11 seasons for the Dolphins as quarterback Dan Marino's ever-present protector at left tackle. Webb, Marino's blind-side security guard and blanket, earned Pro Bowl recognition seven times.

"I came to my first camp at 6-6, 295," said Webb. "What's Jake?"

He's 6-7, 315.

Not a huge difference all these years later, although the money sure is. Webb missed eight days of camp before accepting a five-year deal worth $3.79 million, including a $1.35 million signing bonus; Long, a left tackle already signed out of Michigan as the No. 1 pick in Saturday's draft, has a contract worth $57.5 million with $30 million guaranteed.

Hey, it's a different era.

And the Dolphins will consider Long worth every penny if he so much as approximates what Webb did for them.

Webb's performance as a rookie out of Texas A&M was a harbinger of his greatness. He was an every-game starter, and allowed two sacks all season while playing every one of the team's 1,028 offensive downs through the playoffs. He faced Lawrence Taylor of the New York Giants, and held him to three tackles and a half-share of a sack. He faced Buffalo's Bruce Smith three times and held him to a combined seven tackles without a sack. He faced Kansas City's Derrick Thomas in the playoffs, and held him to three tackles without a sack.

"I had to grow up pretty quick," said Webb, recalling a pre-season game against Chicago as his best early learning experience. "I was going against Richard Dent and didn't get beat up too bad, because he only played about a quarter. He told Dan after the game, ëTell your man he's tipping running plays. He's leaning into his hand, and the pressure shows on his fingers.'

"I found out right away how everybody is looking for any edge. I wasn't big on watching film, but I knew it was going to be important to look for something that could give you a hint about a player's tendencies, or something you're doing wrong yourself.

"That's why it's so good they've already got Jake signed. He can get a grasp of the offense. He can get the reps during training camp. I remember working hard on Dan's three-step and five-step drops. It'll be important for Jake to get to know the guys he's playing with as soon as he can. Everything is easier once you get a comfort level on the offensive line. I'm sure it's the same now as it was for me with the difference in the speed of the game from college to the NFL."

If there is a scoutnik's concern regarding Long, it is with the difficulty he sometimes had in college when dealing with a quick defender, such as Ohio State's Vernon Gholston.

Long also will have to deal with more losses than he did at Michigan. Webb came to a Miami team good enough to compile a 12-4 regular-season record and win a playoff game as well. A 4-12 mark next season, on the other hand, would seem more likely for the Dolphins and Long, who also will have to deal with inevitable comparisons to Webb.

"I'd still tell him he's in the right place at the right time," Webb said. "He'll be fine if he keeps a level head and listens to his coaches. I'm not the measuring stick. He shouldn't pay any attention to stuff like that. You have to play your own game. One of the knocks on me was that I wasn't strong enough."

Webb made the Pro Bowl as a rookie.

He's in the Dolphins' Ring of Honor.

Yeah, the new guy at left tackle might want to give him a call.

Who better than Webb to mentor our newest member?  Hopefully, Long is worth every penny and develops into something even better than Richmond.  Like I said though, all we need now is a QB worth protecting.  Or maybe Beck will develop (I highly doubt it).

http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sports_seasonticket/2008/04/fins-longs-expe.html

Fins: Long's expectations

Jake Long follows a long line of standout Michigan offensive linemen.

This is a partial list, and I'm sure you'll add others.

Steve Hutchinson: The Coral Springs High graduate is generally regarded as the premier guard in the NFL.

Jeff Backus: The former first-round pick is entering his eighth season as a Detroit Lions tackle. 

Reggie McKenzie: The guard played a dozen seasons, and spent many blocking for O.J. Simpson with the Bills.

Jon Jansen: The right tackle is the longest-tenured current Redskin, and a team captain.

Dan Dierdorf: The tackle made six Pro Bowls during his Hall of Fame 13-year career before turning to broadcasting.

Jumbo Elliott: A Bill Parcells favorite, the tackle anchored a Super Bowl-winning Giants line, and even caught a touchdown against the Dolphins.

Jon Giesler: The Dolphins picked him 24th overall in 1979, and he lasted 10 seasons. 

Stefan Humphries: The 1980 valedictorian at St. Thomas Aquinas High played guard for NFL season before becoming a doctor.

Greg Skrepenak: The second-round pick played six seasons for the Raiders and Panthers, then embarked on a political career.

Kurt Becker: The sixth-round choice survived nearly a decade in the NFL at the guard position.

Chuck Bernard: His distinction? Not his 10-game NFL career. He was the Michigan All-American center that future Pres. Gerald Ford played behind.

David Baas: Drafted in the second round by San Francisco in 2004, the guard's emergence allowed the 49ers to let Justin Smiley leave for the Dolphins.

Now here's the question:

Whose career must Long match for you to consider this pick a success? 

A Hall of Famer like Dierdorf?

A perennial All-Pro like Hutchinson?

A solid, steady performer like Elliott, Jansen, McKenzie, Backus and Giesler?

> Posted by Ethan J. Skolnick at 1:19:40 PM

For what we paid he better re-invent pass protection itself!...kidding...

I'd be happy as long as he isn't a Wade Smith.

he is now the highest paid offensive lineman in the league.  he has won major awards and had an outstanding college career.  i'd say expectations are pretty high - he better be in the pro bowl soon!

http://www.miamidolphins.com/newsite/news/andycohen.asp?contentID=5748

The Homer Report - Presented by, Andy Cohen

Long’s Signing A Smart Move

April 23, 2008

This is a Long story, but it really is a very short, succinct one. The Dolphins found the player they wanted and they methodically went about signing him. Case closed.

The get-it-right era took another huge – as in 6-feet-7 – step forward on Tuesday as the Dolphins signed left tackle Jake Long to a multi-year contract. What’s not to like about this? The scenario that rapidly unfolded was as impressive as the player on center stage.

While nobody can rightfully predict what’s going to happen to Jake Long over the next decade or so, this much is clear. The Dolphins pinpointed this Michigan Man as the best player in the draft and they refused to let go, refused to get involved in a long, messy contract dispute that would linger into training camp, refused to make the same mistakes the Raiders made a year ago and so many other teams made before that.

If the Dolphins are going to turn this around in a hurry – and that is clearly the plan – their first-round pick would have to be there from Day One, and that is exactly what has now transpired. Long will not miss a day of training camp, not miss a single chance to become a legitimate force in his rookie season.

Give the new ruling body of Bill Parcells, Jeff Ireland and Tony Sparano all the credit they deserve for making sure this happened. They didn’t meander around like so many before them. Once it became clear that there was no trade to make to acquire more picks, once the decision was made that a left tackle – that THIS left tackle – was the answer, no time was wasted. They can play games in September; they weren’t going to play games in April.

If this is an indication of the path the Dolphins will take under this new regime, then rest assured this franchise is finally in good hands. In one swift move, they showed the rest of the NFL the right way to do this.

We didn’t see Parcells at the press conference announcing Long’s signing. But you knew his presence was there. You knew getting bigger and stronger and tougher is what he wanted for this franchise and that message was echoed by the two people he brought in, Ireland as general manager and Sparano as head coach.

The three of them are 1-0 today. And the schedule only came out a week ago.
There was no way the draft was going to arrive without Jake Long in the fold. Not with Long standing so tall at the top of the team’s draft board. Not with so many other things to accomplish in the days ahead. Not with the knowledge of the damage long holdouts have inflicted on other teams.

Folks, there is a plan at work here. Finally, a plan. And we see it unfolding right before our eyes. If you didn’t have a comfort zone before this, you should have one now. The Dolphins are no longer somebody else’s punch line.

Now, let’s turn to the player.

For years, I have been writing that what the Dolphins need on their offensive line is an anchor, one player who had the ability to make those around him better. If the press clippings on Jake Long are correct, if his college career is any indication, the Dolphins finally have that player.

Sure, it would have been nice to have taken a Peyton Manning or Tom Brady with the first overall pick. But this was not the year for that; just too many questions surrounding every quarterback to justify the No. 1 overall pick. Unfortunate, but true.

So instead the Dolphins went after their biggest need and, to their delight, that just happened to be the player they had rated the highest. This is no public relations spin. This is fact. Insiders tell me that Jake Long was probably on top of the majority of draft boards in the NFL. If the Dolphins didn’t take him No. 1, St. Louis would have taken him at No. 2.

The line clearly was the area on this team that needed the most help. Today Samson Satele is a better player because Jake Long is playing with him. So is Vernon Carey. Today the running game is better and the pass protection is more proficient. Today the Dolphins are a better football team and they haven’t even put on a single helmet yet.

You look at what Long accomplished in college and it is easy to see this success story continuing on the next level. He is big. He is smart. He is tenacious. He is as small a risk as you can take with the first overall pick.

No, he’s not a game-breaker. But it’s time the Dolphins started thinking about rebuilding instead of a taking a gamble on a quick fix. Jake Long is a huge first piece to this puzzle. Huge in so many ways.

And now the Dolphins can move on to other things without the burden of signing the No. 1 pick. I’m hoping the two second round picks, the one third round pick and the one fourth round pick produce, in no particular order, a wide receiver, a quarterback, an outside linebacker and a tight end. That’s just one man’s opinion, but it would certainly continue the rebuilding in a nice, orderly fashion.

All of that is up to Parcells, Ireland and Sparano. They will be the ones calling the shots on during this weekend’s draft. There is a quiet confidence about them as they move forward, a confidence that suggests that they know what they want and they know how to get it.

It’s early. Too early to form any concrete conclusions. But if what happened with the selection and signing of Jake Long is any indication, the right people are now making the right decisions. And that’s something this franchise desperately needed.

  Jersey enthusiasts, interested in buying this new release?

http://miamidolphinsproshop.com/main_detail.cfm?nProductID=20966&sAuxTitle=Jake%20Long%20Jersey%20%2D%20Home%20Replica

I'd want it in Aqua

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/palmbeach/miamidolphins/entries/2008/04/24/jake_long_has_575_million_reas.html

Jake Long denies report he didn’t want to play for Dolphins

By Tim Graham | Thursday, April 24, 2008, 03:10 PM

If the lucrative contract Michigan tackle Jake Long signed on Tuesday wasn’t proof enough, the man himself disputed last week’s FoxSports.com report that claimed he didn’t want to play for the woeful Dolphins.

“Someone called me up and said they saw (the report),” Long told The Palm Beach Post this morning after a youth clinic in New York’s Central Park. “I don’t know how anybody got that because I never said that. I never had those feelings.

“I said from Day One that it would be an honor to play for the Dolphins and be a No. 1 pick. I don’t know who came up with that, but none of it was true.

“That 1-15 is in the past. I think everybody’s moving on from that. I’m just excited to come in and show my leadership and do everything I can to improve myself and my team.”

Never mind that Long willingly signed a five-year contract for $57.5 million and $30 million in guarantees. He wasn’t forced to join the Dolphins because he hadn’t yet been drafted by them.

“My agent (Tom Condon) knew I wanted to be in Miami and knew I wanted to be No. 1,” Long said.

ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported on Wednesday the Dolphins would have targeted Virginia defensive end Chris Long as their Plan B if negotiations broke down with Jake Long.

Chris Long said he had no clue he was second on the Dolphins’ wish list and shook his head when asked if they had spoken to agent Marvin Demoff about early negotiations.

“If they did, then me and Marvin gotta have a talk,” Chris Long said. “We hadn’t talked about (the Dolphins). It’s just a big waiting game anyway.”

  Do you believe in Jake Long?

http://www.nfl.com/videos?videoId=09000d5d807f3c34

I believe in his "You aint sackin shit today!!!!" mentality

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/palmbeach/miamidolphins/entries/2008/04/24/jake_long_already_driven_to_pr.html

Jake Long already driven to prove he’s worth the cash and hype

By Tim Graham | Thursday, April 24, 2008, 08:17 PM

Many athletes are prone to dismissing talk that centers on pressure and expectations. They sometimes like to pretend they’re above it all, that they’re too psychologically superior to let anxieties overcome.

We can say Jake Long grasps reality.

As the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft and the NFL’s highest-paid offensive lineman before he plays one pro snap, Long will face incredible scrutiny. He knows that. He also sounds willing to embrace it.

“It drives me and pushes me because I’ve got to go out there and prove to people that it was a good choice, that will do well on the next level,” Long said today in New York.

“I know there’s a lot of pressure. I know there’s a lot of eyes that’ll be on me. I feel like I play at my best when the pressure’s on me. I’ve dealt with pressure before. I know I can go out there, work hard and prove to everybody that it was the right choice.”

Asked about his five-year contract worth $57.5 million and $30 million in guarantees, Long didn’t duck and answered with humility.

“It’s mind-boggling,” Long said. “I’ve always played football for the fun of it and the love of it. I’m still playing for that. The money’s just a great bonus. Being able to do this as my job is amazing. Those numbers are crazy, but it’s not going to change how I go out and work.”

 

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/dolphins/content/sports/epaper/2008/04/25/a1c_long_0425.html

Living large: Dolphins' Long becomes toast of NYC

By TIM GRAHAM
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Friday, April 25, 2008

NEW YORK — Jake Long and his family never had visited Manhattan before. From the moment they arrived two days ago, they've marveled at the enormity, bustle and buzz.

"The buildings are humongous, and there's so many of them," the Dolphins' new left tackle said Thursday afternoon at a restaurant overlooking the Hudson River. "Drivers in this city are just insane. People come inches away from hitting each other, all the horns honking.

If the Dolphins trade Jason Taylor, is one first-round draft choice enough to receive in return? 

"It's a different place."

Stunned by New York's incomprehensible scale, Long may not be able to comprehend that he's the biggest thing in the city this weekend.

Long, who is 6-foot-7 and 313 pounds, should have scooped up diminutive girlfriend Jackie Laurian in his King Kong palm and climbed the Empire State Building.

Instead, he and the five other elite prospects posed for photos atop the marquee at Radio City Music Hall, site of the NFL Draft Saturday and Sunday.

The Dolphins on Tuesday finalized a deal to make Long not only the No. 1 selection, but also the NFL's highest-paid offensive lineman after a phenomenal college career at Michigan. His five-year contract is worth $57.5 million, with $30 million guaranteed.

"I feel like I'm living in a dream right now," Denise Long said of her son's whirlwind week. "It's amazing he's finally here but he deserves it. It's almost like it's not real."

Denise Long works in a deli. Jake's father, John Long, will retire in June after 30 years at the General Motors foundry in Saginaw, Mich.

"It's just mind-boggling to see the contract numbers," John Long said. "My wife and I worked our whole lives just to get by. I couldn't be happier."

Jake Long, while seemingly calm Thursday, admitted his good fortune won't seem real until NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell confirms the Dolphins' No. 1 pick shortly after 3 p.m. Saturday.

"It's going to be electric," Long said. "I've watched the draft my entire life. To be able to walk out on that stage and hold that jersey is going to be a dream come true. I don't think it will fully sink in until then."

In the meantime, Long is trying to soak up the experience. The NFL is keeping the prospects busy. On Thursday morning, they participated in a youth clinic in Central Park. Long, his left hand engulfing the ball, lobbed passes to a frenetic crew of middle-schoolers, thrusting his arms skyward and shouting "Woo hoo!" with every touchdown strike.

The kids sat down for an interview session with the players. The second question was directed at Long and illustrated the footprint his new boss left in New York: Are you scared of playing for Bill Parcells?

"I'm real excited," Long replied after a hearty laugh. "I got to meet him a couple days ago and got to talk with him. I was a little intimidated, but I'm real excited to play for him."

A couple of hours later, wearing a pinstriped suit at Chelsea Piers, Long provided insight into Tuesday's meeting with Parcells in Davie. "Meeting him was insane," Long said, using one of his favorite adjectives of the week. "He's such an icon. He's a legend, a (future) Hall of Famer. I'm just glad I get to learn under him and play for him and be part of his organization."

Long went from slightly terrified to motivated in a hurry as he listened to the Dolphins' football operations boss.

"He wants to win," Long said. "The type of people he wants in this organization, he said I'm going to be a big part of that. It was an honor to hear him say that, and I'm excited to go out and work hard and prove to him that I was the right choice to pick."

Parcells mentioned the name Jumbo Elliott, a tackle from Michigan he coached with the New York Giants. Elliott, who played at 6-foot-7 and 305 pounds, won Super Bowl XXV with the Giants.

"He told me I remind him a little of Jumbo, and Jumbo was a great player for him," Long said. "I've got to live up to that now. That's a big comparison."

Through so many thrills, Long insisted he will keep his head. He can't afford otherwise, not even with $30 million already to his name.

"There's a lot of pressure, expectation and a lot of people that will be watching me," Long said. "I'm excited for the challenge. I'm just going to be the same person I am, go in there, work hard, be a leader and do everything I can to help the team win. I've done that throughout my entire life and I'm going to keep doing it."

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/palmbeach/miamidolphins/entries/2008/04/25/long_wants_to_be_foundation_pl.html

Long wants to be foundation player off the field, too

By Tim Graham | Friday, April 25, 2008, 07:17 PM

So what’s Jake Long going to do with all that money?

The first thing, the Michigan tackle has confessed, is buy a Ford truck. And that’s not going over well in the Long household back in Lapeer, Mich. His father is about to retire after putting in 30 years at the General Motors foundry in Saginaw.

But that’s a frivolity compared to Long’s greater plans.

After visiting sick kids this afternoon at the Kravis Children’s Hospital in New York, the Dolphins No. 1 draft pick acknowledged he would like to start a foundation with the super-sized contract he signed Tuesday.

“I definitely want to do something,” Long said after getting thumped in a Wii video boxing game by 8-year-old Robert Morales, who suffers from asthma. “I don’t know what I want to do yet. I’m trying to get settled right now, but down the road I want to do something.”

Jim Brandstatter, the Wolverines broadcast analyst for the past 28 years, called Long one of the most charitable collegiate players he’s seen.

“He’s as good and solid as you can get as a human being,” Brandstatter said. “In the old days, you remember those United Way commercials? That’s Jake.”

While some college programs send their players to hospitals and charity events, Long started visiting Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor every other Thursday since he was a freshman simply because he wanted to.

“I just get so much out of it, coming here and being able to brighten up some little kids’ days,” Long said. “It’s just for a couple minutes, but you see that smile on their faces.

“We’re all privileged to be able to play football and be able to walk and leave the hospital and be with your families. These kids here can’t.”

 

This guys already a superstar in my book.

Stuff like that would get him consideration for NFL Man of the Year.   I can't help but like this guy's attitude.