Jason Taylor traded to Skins!!!!!!

[dolfan13]

that nfc east is a tough division... things must have gotten real bad with the tuna for jt to opt to play for the redskins. good move for tuna on this one though. getting a second rounder for a defensive end at the end of his career is pretty sweet.

[ethurst2]

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/dolphins_in_depth/2008/07/taylor-trade-ma.html

Taylor trade makes Parcells look like a genius

Although the Dolphins have not yet confirmed it -- the team hasn't yet confirmed that last season ended, either -- the Washington Redskins have announced they have acquired Jason Taylor for a second round pick in 2009 and a sixth round pick in 2010.

To which I say: Bill Parcells is the man!

I am not celebrating Taylor's departure, though he probably is. Taylor wanted to be traded since the end of last season and I am told he is welcoming this move. He is scheduled to arrive at the Redskins training facility by tomorrow morning.

He has talked with Redskins executive VP of football operations Vinny Cerrato and apparently told him that he would play for the Redskins for two seasons. "I'm 100 percent positive he'll play for more than one year," Cerrato told DC area reporters.

So much for the drama of playing one and being done.

Fact is this trade means the only drama remaining on the Dolphins will be on the field. It will come in the form of quarterback and other position competitions. It will come in seeing how long, and if, the new Dolphins leadership takes to correct a franchise off course.

The drama that Taylor brought throughout the offseason and up until this week as we wondered whether he would report to the start of training camp or not -- he wasn't going to, by the way -- is now gone.

And, by the way, the Dolphins got their asking price. Parcells was criticized immediately after the draft by pundits who said he should have unloaded Taylor on the cheap. He instead held fast knowing that teams making a playoff or championship push would reach a point late in training camp when they would want a player of Taylor's talent.

Parcells was right in thinking that. He just underestimated that the moment would come much earlier in camp. The Redskins opened camp on Saturday and defensive end Phillip Daniels suffered a season-ending injury in a 7-on-7 drill.

Salguero is full of garbage as usual.

It's plain and simple. If Philip Daniels, who is a good defensive end had not gotten hurt, Jason Taylor would not be headed to Washington. Washington had a desperate need and filled the need. Dan Synder would have traded for Hornswaggle the midget of the WWF if he had to to get a defensive end.

The Dolphins caught a stroke of luck on this one. It's good to go to mass sometimes.

So now all of a sudden, Parcells is a genius when he was probably sweating bullets from opening up training camp with Jason Taylor not being there and having to ask questions about Taylor each day. Parcells was spared the pressure of having news vans in front of the Davie complex looking for Jason taylor to part through the skies and report to training camp.

You have to ask yourself, what if Daniels wouldn't have gotten hurt? I believe it's tougher to trade a player during pre-season because on many teams, you have guys that are being evaluated and many are surprises to the coaching staff. Rarely do you see trades in pre-season or during the season anymore.

It's not quantum physics. You knew that Parcells wasn't going to send Taylor to the Cowboys. Ditto for the Patriots or Chargers. I really thought that Taylor would end up in New York with Strahan retiring but they still have a powerful front four.

The NFC East is the toughest division in football and even though Jim Zorn is a rookie coach, I have a feeling that the Redskins are going to the playoffs. Zorn was a gutsy QB who helped Steve Largent emerge into a Hall of Famer so this may work for Taylor.

As for Salguero, what an idiotic statement to make. We're better off starting our own newspaper here at TDMMC because we have posters that make better sense than he does.

[DolFan619]

http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sports_football_dolphins/2008/07/wave-bye-bye-to.html

Wave bye-bye to Jason Taylor

The Dolphins just got a little bit closer to being a contender in 2010, but the team they will send onto the field in a month or so just got a whole lot worse.

Say what you want about Jason Taylor the Pro Bowl player, the South Florida philanthropist, or the pretty boy ego maniac with Hollywood aspirations, but the reality is the Miami Dolphins just traded away their best player to the Redskins.

Sure Bill Parcells and the Trifecta were just given a kings ransom by the desperate Redskins, and should be applauded for sticking to their guns on his trade value.

But don't kid yourself, this trade sets the Dolphins back short-term.

 Jake Long's development as an elite left tackle just hit some quicksand because there's no longer an elite pass rusher to push him in practice.

Joey Porter's job just got a whole lot harder because there's no longer a Hall of Famer on the opposite side of him.

The pressure that will be placed on Charlie Anderson and Quentin Moses just got a whole lot more intense because if they don't step up, the 3-4 scheme doesn't pan out.

I'm personally happy for JT. I remember how jealous he was when Chris Chambers got traded to San Diego. I remember him waving goodbye to Dolphins fans in the 2007 season finale and tearing up because he knew it'd likely be his last game as a Dolphins. At least he hoped it would be.

He's free, and he never bad mouthed our beloved sports team to get it done. Sure he flirted with others. Sure he never called us back and went AWOL for a long while. He certainly did string us along, and danced around the truth a whole lot. But he never broke our heart. He never dissed his first love.

True Dolphins fans should try to respect that, and hopefully in time they'll learn to cheer for him come playoff time just as they will Chambers, Sam Madison and Zach Thomas.

If you're honest with yourself you'll admit Taylor, even at 31, is worth an extra win or two in the tough NFC East when surrounded by decent talent.

If you're honest with yourself you'll admit Taylor will probably make enough plays to contribute to a win or two for a rebuilding team.

Truth is the Redskins need him far more than the Dolphins, which will probably use that second round pick to draft his replacement in 2009.

The Redskins short-term solution just benefited the Dolphins longterm, helped them avoid a major distract, and sent off one of the franchise's greats in style.

Goodbye JT, and thanks for the draft picks.

> Posted by Omar Kelly at 8:18:38 PM

[YoFuggedaboutit]

Salguero is full of garbage as usual.

It's plain and simple. If Philip Daniels, who is a good defensive end had not gotten hurt, Jason Taylor would not be headed to Washington. Washington had a desperate need and filled the need. Dan Synder would have traded for Hornswaggle the midget of the WWF if he had to to get a defensive end.

The Dolphins caught a stroke of luck on this one. It's good to go to mass sometimes.

So now all of a sudden, Parcells is a genius when he was probably sweating bullets from opening up training camp with Jason Taylor not being there and having to ask questions about Taylor each day. Parcells was spared the pressure of having news vans in front of the Davie complex looking for Jason taylor to part through the skies and report to training camp.

You have to ask yourself, what if Daniels wouldn't have gotten hurt? I believe it's tougher to trade a player during pre-season because on many teams, you have guys that are being evaluated and many are surprises to the coaching staff. Rarely do you see trades in pre-season or during the season anymore.

It's not quantum physics. You knew that Parcells wasn't going to send Taylor to the Cowboys. Ditto for the Patriots or Chargers. I really thought that Taylor would end up in New York with Strahan retiring but they still have a powerful front four.

The NFC East is the toughest division in football and even though Jim Zorn is a rookie coach, I have a feeling that the Redskins are going to the playoffs. Zorn was a gutsy QB who helped Steve Largent emerge into a Hall of Famer so this may work for Taylor.

As for Salguero, what an idiotic statement to make. We're better off starting our own newspaper here at TDMMC because we have posters that make better sense than he does.

Ethurst, I have to disagree on this one.  If Phillip Daniels had not gotten hurt, I'm sure some other contending team's DE would have, in which case, Parcells would listen to offers for JT from that team. 

By waiting till training camp to unload him, Parcells increased JT's value big time.  If the best offer he got during the draft was a 4th round pick, now all of a sudden he bags a second rounder and a sixth rounder, what does that say about the Redskins and their sudden need for a capable DE? 

Doctor D was dead on in his call that Parcells would wait till training camp to make a trade. 

[Dphins4me]

    As far as Jason goes, I wish he would've conducted himself with a little more class during his last few months in Miami

WTF?

[ethurst2]

Ethurst, I have to disagree on this one.  If Phillip Daniels had not gotten hurt, I'm sure some other contending team's DE would have, in which case, Parcells would listen to offers for JT from that team. 

By waiting till training camp to unload him, Parcells increased JT's value big time.  If the best offer he got during the draft was a 4th round pick, now all of a sudden he bags a second rounder and a sixth rounder, what does that say about the Redskins and their sudden need for a capable DE? 

Doctor D was dead on in his call that Parcells would wait till training camp to make a trade. 

Tommy,

Snyder is the Mike Lynn of the New Millennium. Remember Lynn, the GM of the Vikings who got conned by Jimmy Johnson in the Herschel Walker deal that made Dallas a juggernaut in the early to mid 90's? No other team would have bit on this one and the longer Taylor would have stayed a Dolphin, I'm convinced that he would have either had to sit out 10 games or retire.

I think that if any other team that wanted Taylor, they would have got him before now and perhaps, Miami would have got the same deal as they now have.

For example, the Broncos need someone opposite Elvis Dumervil to pressure the QB. Simeon Rice didn't work out last year and was basically out of gas. Shanny would have pulled the trigger on a trade if the cards were right. Taylor is a perfect fit for the Broncos but Shanny wasn't going to give up a 2nd and a 6th.

Here's the contenders list. Taylor wasn't going to go to a top rated contender because these contenders are already set.

AFC

Patriots
Bills (Don't laugh!)
Pittsburgh
Cleveland (horrible D last year but they are not mortgaging the future)
Indianapolis
San Diego
Denver?

NFC

NY Giants
Dallas
Carolina
Seattle
Vikings

The AFC again, is the elite conference on paper.

Your main tier contenders were not going to mortgage the future for Taylor. Parcells caught a stroke of luck with the Redskins. What's weird about the Redskins situation Tommy is that most teams put the onus on the backup to step up and take the starters place during this time of year. Not Dan Synder.

[DolFan619]

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/dolphins/content/sports/epaper/2008/07/20/stoda21web.html

Commentary: Desperate Dolphins watch Jason Taylor shuffle off to Washington

By GREG STODA
Palm Beach Post Staff Columnist

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Jason Taylor is a Washington Redskin.

That didn't take long once NFL training camps began to open, now, did it?

Did the Dolphins get enough for Jason Taylor? 

The Dolphins traded Taylor in a hurry Sunday night for a second-round pick in the NFL Draft next year and a sixth-round pick in the NFL Draft the year after that.

Right.

They didn't get much.

The Dolphins, of course, will counter with the fact that Taylor, a Pro Bowl defensive end, was a third-round pick by Miami once upon a time. They'll further counter that star linebacker Zach Thomas - now gone to the Dallas Cowboys for a bowl of TexMex cooking goodies - was a fifth-round pick by Miami once upon a time, too.

Let 'em talk.

It's my guess Bill Parcells wanted Taylor and Thomas gone from the time he walked into Dolphins' headquarters in December to begin a reconstruction project as boss of all things football. The piecemeal work would be done through the draft, and was, but the turning of big stones would involve removal of the team's old foundation.

What the Dolphins aren't saying is that they wanted no more of Taylor or the distraction his absence would have created when the team reports to work for camp without him come Saturday morning.

This never was going to be anything than exactly what it turned out to be, which was an NFL version of The Price is Right conducted by the Dolphins.

"Washington Redskins, come on down! You're the next contestant on ..."

But it speaks volumes as to Miami's mind-set that this was considered to be the right price.

That the Dolphins agreed to Washington's terms is the best indication of how much they wanted to rid themselves of Taylor after they passed on other nibbles.

And, hey, these were the Redskins in desperate mode. They lost a starting and a reserve defensive end to season-ending injuries over the weekend, and turned immediately to Miami.

Parcells is not a stupid man.

Stubborn, certainly, but not stupid. He is, in fact, thought of as something of a professional football genius.

And the best he could come up with in exchange for Taylor was a second- and a sixth-rounder?

This was Parcells settling, because he wanted to settle ... because it beat steaming himself silly about Taylor's intractability.

The Dolphins are trying to improve from horrific to just plain bad, and Taylor wasn't going to make the improvement go any faster.

Parcells, who did not return a call to his cell phone Sunday night, knew as much a long time ago, of course, but was adamant about trying to make everyone believe he believed in Taylor's worth as "a good football player." What he really believed in was Taylor's worth on the market, and that didn't work out so well, either.

The Dolphins, who wouldn't confirm the trade reports, look like chumps.

They blinked.

Taylor went on Dancing with the Stars to begin enhancement of his post-football career, and hit it big on the television show. The Dolphins were left to stew in frustration when Taylor told them exactly what he would and wouldn't be doing in preparation for the season.

The result is that Miami allowed the Redskins to dance off with its star.

Taylor, by the way, had made it a point to inform the Dolphins that his intention was to play one more season. He reserved the right to change his mind.

Now?

Consider his mind changed.

Taylor will be 34 years old by the time the NFL season, which will be his 12th. According to an ESPN report, Taylor already has told the Redskins there's no need to renegotiate his contract (calling for $8.1 million this year) and will play two seasons.

No wonder the Redskins, according to a report on The Washington Post Web site, were confident enough for Vinny Cerrato, who is Washington's vice-president for football operations, to say he's "100 percent confident" Taylor will play more than one year.

Cerrato claimed that discussions regarding an acquisition of Taylor didn't begin until Sunday afternoon.

Hmmm.

Anyone still think Dolphins weren't as desperate to peddle Taylor as the Redskins were desperate to land him?

Now, it's done.

Now, the clock officially begins ticking on Parcells' efforts to rebuild a long-moribund Miami franchise.

[bsmooth]

Great now I have two jerseys I cant wear anymore. Who to get now?

[DolFan619]

Great now I have two jerseys I cant wear anymore. Who to get now?

  Ricky?

[YoFuggedaboutit]

  Ricky?

I've got a Ricky jersey.  At least it's still good.

[DolFan619]

http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/breaking-news/story/611566.html

Proud chapter of Dolphins history closes with Taylor trade

BY GREG COTE
Miami Herald

It was smart and it was sad, all at once, the Sunday evening trade that all of a sudden turned Jason Taylor into a former Miami Dolphin. Just like that. Eleven NFL seasons of No. 99, instantly put to past tense.

The pragmatic side of the mind argues with irrefutable logic that the deal is good for Miami. The Washington Redskins are giving in return a second-round draft pick in 2009 and throwing in a sixth-rounder the year after. And that seems more than fair for a soon-34-year-old defensive end who wanted out of here and who -- smitten by Dancing With the Stars and dreams of Hollywood -- seemed about done with football, anyway.

And surely a Miami team bent on rebuilding, after six consecutive years out of the playoffs, bottomed out by last season's abysmal 1-15 record, is wise to have traded an aging star for potential, for pieces of the future. And all of that is absolutely true. This is a wise move for the franchise.

Yet the less pragmatic side of the mind cannot be denied here. Emotion will have its say.

A proud, substantial chapter of Dolphins history closes, nicks quietly shut.

Only a few months ago the club's new regime, fronted by ultimate decisionmaker Bill Parcells, rather unceremoniously waived (that's kind football-speak for fired) longtime linebacker Zach Thomas, who signed with Dallas. Now the massive makeover sweeps out Taylor, too, whose great career ran concurrent with Thomas'.

It means the coming 2008 season, ushered in with the start of training camp this weekend, will mark the first time since 1995 -- Don Shula's last year -- that there will be neither a Thomas nor a Taylor anchoring the Dolphins' defense.

Since iconic quarterback Dan Marino left in the deep winter of 1999, Thomas and Taylor (in any order you preferred) have been the faces of Dolphins football. The constants.

Memories now, both of them.

A faceless team in their place, bereft of a single player worthy of the stature. A franchise seeking identity, needing stability. When your longest-serving player now is the on-again, off-again Ricky Williams, yours officially is a franchise in flux.

Taylor's departure seemed inevitable, and even necessary. The spring soap opera made it so. Taylor dancing the cha-cha and mambo on national TV; Parcells liking none if it. Sides, separating. Acrimony, festering. Taylor would have been plainly unhappy being back with Miami.

Miami in turn looks smart for waiting this out and not trading Taylor earlier, for less. San Diego, Green Bay and other teams made overtures but wouldn't meet the demand of at least a second-round pick. Washington lost a couple of key defenders to injuries and came calling, rewarding Parcells' patience.

It is hard, though, right now, with the news still raw, to feel too good about the way this all ended.

First, Zach Thomas goes out discarded, as unwanted as something you would place on the curb on garbage day.

Now, Jason Taylor leaves in what in every sense is a contentious divorce. The sides might make public nice-nice now that it's over, but, make no mistake, the parting is tinged in acrimony, and that's too bad.

You could argue Taylor as the greatest defender in Dolphins history. He is the club's career sack leader, by almost double. In 2006 he became only the third Miamian to be selected as NFL Defensive Player of the Year. He is not a lock, but seeming increasingly likely, to be voted someday into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Now he is gone, just like that, and too many Dolfans, in their haste to discard all remnants of the past and move on, will throw maybe a quick nod to the man fast-receding in the rear-view mirror.

He deserves more, of course. Much.

He deserves thanks, appreciation and respect for all of the skill and passion he showed on the field, and for all of the class he showed off of it.

The Dolphins traded Jason Taylor on Sunday, and, yes, it was a very good trade.

But that doesn't mean it has to feel good.

[DolFan619]

http://www.miamidolphins.com/newsite/news/top_story.asp?contentID=5882

Dolphins Trade Jason Taylor To Washington For A Pair Of Draft Picks

July 20, 2008
   
The Miami Dolphins today traded defensive end Jason Taylor to the Washington Redskins in exchange for two undisclosed draft choices.

“I want to thank Jason for all of his contributions to the Dolphins and to South Florida,” said Dolphins Managing General Partner Wayne Huizenga. “Ever since he joined the team as a rookie he has been outstanding on the field and a leader in our community. Whether it was his intensity between the lines or his commitment to his charitable works, he made a lasting impact here. I will miss Jason, and on behalf of the entire Dolphins organization I want to wish him the best of success with the Redskins.”

“Like Mr. Huizenga, I also would like to thank Jason for his contributions to the Dolphins, said Dolphins General Manager Jeff Ireland. “He has been a valued member of this organization and we appreciate all he has done both on and off the field. We wish him the best in Washington.”

[Sunstroke]

I'm in agreement with ethurst that this deal makes Tuna look like a lucky man, rather than a genius. That said, I think Tuna was destined to get a 2nd or 3rd rounder for JT, simply because edge rushers are requirements if you want to go deep into the playoffs, and some team would have ponied up to get him eventually, imo...

[DolFan619]

http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sports_football_dolphins/2008/07/farewell-to-jt.html

Farewell to JT

Whether you like the way he left town or not, you got to admit that no defensive player had to be accounted for more than No. 99 Jason Taylor. He patented the sack-strip-recovery and runback.

The way he plucked balls out of the air with those long arms was special to watch, although he could keep the Michael Jordan Nike leap into the end zone to himself.

Here's JT's complete farewell statment: "As you might imagine, this is a bit overwhelming right now and I probably need a little time to digest it all. I love Miami, will always cherish my 11 years with the Dolphins and can't thank Mr. Huizenga, Bryan Wiedmeier and countless coaches and teammates enough for what they have all done. I will be a Dolphins fan now and wish them the best. Tony Sparano is great and I know I would have enjoyed working with him. And what can I say about the fans? This town has been supportive beyond belief, through good times and bad and I wish I could thank everyone personally. Having said that, I'm looking forward to meeting with Mr. Snyder and getting to know my new coaches and teammates. I'm just proud to be representing our nation's capital as a Redskin.''

He will be missed, especially by reporters looking for raw emotion after another loss. He was a go-to-guy, although in the last few years he seemed to be getting beaten down by all the losses and wasn't as fun to be around. That's probably why he sought out diversions like Hollywood and Dancing with the Stars.

Still, he needs to be thanked for all he does for the community with his charity endeavors.

I could see him now on an upcoming cover of SI or Pro Football Weekly with the Washington Monument in the background. Good luck in DC, Jason where he'll face his brother-in-law Zach Thomas and the Cowboys twice a year.

Any parting words..shots..thanks for JT?

Just saw JT on the ESPYs saying he's just doing his bit, "to annoy Parcells."

> Posted by hfialkov at 9:45:37 PM

[simeon]

To gravedig a post, The wise doc said on June 18th about JT..

The only problem with "gimme picks" is that no one is offering any better than a single measly 4th round pick at this time.

My out on a limb prediction is that during the exhibition season, one of the  upper echelon teams hoping for a super bowl shot  will have a defensive line injury or two, will thus be in great and urgent need of a top pass rusher, and make a better offer for JT. Of course, what the hell do I know?


Looks like I am Nostradamus....

Excellent prediction for sure, congrats...
Now what are the winning numbers to the next powerball ?

Seriously I want to personally thank Jayson for the many years of play in Miami, you gave us hope and a reason to watch. I am sad to see you go to Washington, and I hope nothing but good things will happen for you. Good luck to you and your new team Jayson. We will see you again when we retire your number.