BREAKING NEWS: Miami Dolphins and OT Jake Long have reached an agreement

[bsfins]

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

[DZA]

How much will this put Miami in the hole?

[DolFan619]

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.

[DolFan619]

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?

[Guru-In-Vegas]

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

[Sunstroke]

How much will this put Miami in the hole?  

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."

[DolFan619]

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.

[Guru-In-Vegas]

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. 

[dolphins4life]

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

[DolFan619]

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.

[SCFinFan]

I hope this was the right move...

[Guru-In-Vegas]

All we need now is a QB worth protecting.

[DolFan619]

All we need now is a QB worth protecting.

  Who says we don't already have one?   

[DolFan619]

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.

[Guru-In-Vegas]

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).