La Canfora is now saying that we will use the franchise tag on Long or Smith

[chrispepper]

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/21702059/franchise-guys-if-anybody-is-worth-a-tag-its-joe-flacco

Ugh this sounds like complete speculation and I'm really starting to lose respect for La Canfora, figured I'd post it anwyay...

Whether the tag is put on cornerback Sean Smith or left tackle Jake Long, it would be ridiculous for the Dolphins not to use it at all. They're already looking at losing free agent running back Reggie Bush and impactful defensive lineman Randy Starks. Would they really risk losing all four of these players for nothing but compensatory picks?
Long's slumping play and injury woes give pause, but to have a top corner and tackle in their mid-20s both hit the market in the same year is unheard of in the salary-cap era. Says here someone gets tagged.

 

[SunsPhinsfan03]

I'd rather use it on Jake, but kind of don't want to use it on either.

 

[damanref10]

It seems to me like he is just voicing his opinion that it would make no sense for the dolphins not to use the tag and that long and smith are the two likely destinations... not sure what's wrong with it.

 

[Djavelin]

Dont use it. But if they do it would be Long.

 

[chrispepper]

It seems to me like he is just voicing his opinion that it would make no sense for the dolphins not to use the tag and that long and smith are the two likely destinations... not sure what's wrong with it.

It's when he starts turning his opinions into actual facts. For instance, I got 5 messages on my twitter timeline about how the Dolphins are now all of a sudden going to franchise either long or smith. I just dont think speculation really contributes anything.

 

[Jimi]

Theres absolutely no reason not to use it. We can do this, still get some top free agents and sign all our draft picks. We have so much cap room, its not the time to be safe. We need to take some risks, and hold on to the talent we have.

 

[Andyman]

Theres absolutely no reason not to use it. We can do this, still get some top free agents and sign all our draft picks. We have so much cap room, its not the time to be safe. We need to take some risks, and hold on to the talent we have.

How can you say there's absolutely no reason not to do it, when in Long's case it would eat about one third of their cap space this offseason? That tag could prevent Miami from signing two front line starters. It's not like they have $100 million in space.

 

[damanref10]

It's when he starts turning his opinions into actual facts. For instance, I got 5 messages on my twitter timeline about how the Dolphins are now all of a sudden going to franchise either long or smith. I just dont think speculation really contributes anything.

fair enough.. are they tweets (goddamn that sounds pathetic) from la canfora? or other people misinterpreting?

 

[Nublar7]

It does sound like speculation on his part, but I wouldn't be surprised if they do tag one of them. It would be a lot of money for one season but it would also eliminate a potential hole and still leave the team with around $30-35 million in cap space. The talk during January and February of 2011 was that the Dolphins would not use the tag on Paul Soliai, yet that is exactly what they did. They paid him $15 million for that one season but in the long run it worked out since he got a multi-year deal at a reasonable $6 million a season.

I think Smith is probably more likely to get the tag than Long, just because the cap number is around $5 million less. We shall see, but I wouldn't be surprised if they used the tag.

 

[Valandui]

Either one would use over a quarter of "all that cap space".

 

[Nublar7]

Either one would use over a quarter of "all that cap space".

Very true which is why this will be a very tough decision for the team to make. Tagging Long will eliminate around $15 million in cap space while tagging Smith would be around $11 million. That is a very big one year contract for these guys, but you have to consider the market and potential to fill those holes. The tackle free agent market has many more options than the cornerback free agent market so I wouldn't be shocked if Miami tags Smith. That would take our cap room from around $43 million to around $32 million. Figured in around $7-8 million for draft picks and they would enter free agency with around $24 million to spend on free agents, and that would include potential re-signs such as Hartline, Starks, Clemons and Bush. Tagging one of those players would still allow plenty of room to take a run at Wallace or Jennings, but they will probably be only able to add one A list free agent.

 

[AquaInferno]

Very true which is why this will be a very tough decision for the team to make. Tagging Long will eliminate around $15 million in cap space while tagging Smith would be around $11 million. That is a very big one year contract for these guys, but you have to consider the market and potential to fill those holes. The tackle free agent market has many more options than the cornerback free agent market so I wouldn't be shocked if Miami tags Smith. That would take our cap room from around $43 million to around $32 million. Figured in around $7-8 million for draft picks and they would enter free agency with around $24 million to spend on free agents, and that would include potential re-signs such as Hartline, Starks, Clemons and Bush. Tagging one of those players would still allow plenty of room to take a run at Wallace or Jennings, but they will probably be only able to add one A list free agent.

Given Long's and Smith's performances over the last couple of seasons you don't belive that tagging either one of them is a good idea do you? I sure as hell don't. I wasn't an advocate of paying more for bad perfomance ala Tony Sparano. Paul Soliai AT THE VERY LEAST played his ass off in his contract year. Can you say the same for Long and Smith?

 

[number1fin]

If that week 9 pivotal matchup vs. the Colts taught me anything, it was that Jake Long and Sean Smith are apart of the problem.

Long is sadly washed up and is now playing out of scheme. Smith, well, he simply just needs to be washed out. Neither stepped up when we needed them most! In fact, both stepped down (literally) and without a shadow of a doubt were exposed in that game and showed how neither would ever be a true difference maker for Miami.

It would be truly foolish to tag either or just for the sake of it. That would be, IMO, the definition of insanity! Doing the same thing over and over (putting an emphasis on retaining scrubs) again and expecting different results.

It's time to abandon that philosophy, for goodness sake!

 

[Nublar7]

Given Long's and Smith's performances over the last couple of seasons you don't belive that tagging either one of them is a good idea do you? I sure as hell don't. I wasn't an advocate of paying more for bad perfomance ala Tony Sparano. Paul Soliai AT THE VERY LEAST played his ass off in his contract year. Can you say the same for Long and Smith?

I think I would consider tagging Smith just because the pickings might be slim in free agency. I am not saying it is a great idea, I wouldn't even say I am in favor of it. I understand how they are contemplating doing it.

Jake Long is probably less likely to get the tag because it is a bigger cap hit and there are some other qaulity options on the market.

 

[ryan0398]

Ask yourself this, would any other team pay S.Smith top money at his position? This is a guy that makes very few impactful plays. I would throw up in my mouth if they used the tag on him. Time to stop over valueing our players. I'd let him walk, in my opinion, it isn't that big of hole to fill.