Since Jason Taylor got drafted onto this team I've loved him both as a player and as a person. Obviously, trading Jason Taylor for a second round pick in retrospect was an excellent deal for us. We got a second round pick, the redskins got Taylor's worst season. Now, a year and ten wins later, we're offered the opportunity to get back one of the best players in this franchise's history. The circumstances seem like a dream come true. Now here's why we need to dismiss the opportunity.
At 35, Taylor continues to be one of the best role models in the game. He plays for a legitimate love of the sport and legitimately cares about the game and the people he plays with. The Dolphins have three young promising outside linebackers in Cameron Wake, Matt Roth, and Charlie Anderson (Save a fourth spot for a possible draftee). Taylor could come in and be an excellent mentor to these players, but for the most likely 3 million a year salary that he'd want (at the minimum), it's not worth it. Add this to the fact that Taylor will want to remain, as he once was, the star of this team and play 3 downs, and you have another reason. Taylor would stunt the growth of these young players by taking the playing time from them. Sure if Taylor were to come in with a 1 million dollar a year deal and be a back up, strictly mentoring these players, it would be an excellent situation. But even though he's 35, he thinks he's worth more than that. And maybe he is.
Obviously last year's injury is a concern on top of all this. Will taylor come back to be the sack master that he once was, or will he struggle this year, most likely his final? Of course if Taylor doesn't sign with the Dolphins, it will be the Patriots, at least that's what the sources are saying. At first glance this is a terrible thing: All of our favorite players keep going to our division nemesis, and now Jason! After all these years? The patriots continue to age at linebacker which obviously works to our benefit. Signing Taylor to the deal he expects he's worth will stray the Patriots away from draft a linebacker the pick before us, letting a great pass rusher possibly fall right to the Dolphins pick at 25, while the Patriots take a chance with a 35 year old injured, over-payed blitzer.
The reasons against bringing Taylor in because of his "childish behavior with the new regime" and his "bad relationship with Parcells" are illegitimate ones. He and Parcells have a fine relationship as does he with the rest of this team. Taylor wasn't with this team for the miraculous turn around. He knows what a 1-15 team felt like. He doesn't know what it felt like to go from zero to hero in just one year. Joey Porter knows that. Channing Crowder knows that. And that's why the Dolphins, have what they need as far as motivation goes for the new young linebackers. Jason perhaps could not provide what they can.
At 35, Taylor continues to be one of the best role models in the game. He plays for a legitimate love of the sport and legitimately cares about the game and the people he plays with. The Dolphins have three young promising outside linebackers in Cameron Wake, Matt Roth, and Charlie Anderson (Save a fourth spot for a possible draftee). Taylor could come in and be an excellent mentor to these players, but for the most likely 3 million a year salary that he'd want (at the minimum), it's not worth it. Add this to the fact that Taylor will want to remain, as he once was, the star of this team and play 3 downs, and you have another reason. Taylor would stunt the growth of these young players by taking the playing time from them. Sure if Taylor were to come in with a 1 million dollar a year deal and be a back up, strictly mentoring these players, it would be an excellent situation. But even though he's 35, he thinks he's worth more than that. And maybe he is.
Obviously last year's injury is a concern on top of all this. Will taylor come back to be the sack master that he once was, or will he struggle this year, most likely his final? Of course if Taylor doesn't sign with the Dolphins, it will be the Patriots, at least that's what the sources are saying. At first glance this is a terrible thing: All of our favorite players keep going to our division nemesis, and now Jason! After all these years? The patriots continue to age at linebacker which obviously works to our benefit. Signing Taylor to the deal he expects he's worth will stray the Patriots away from draft a linebacker the pick before us, letting a great pass rusher possibly fall right to the Dolphins pick at 25, while the Patriots take a chance with a 35 year old injured, over-payed blitzer.
The reasons against bringing Taylor in because of his "childish behavior with the new regime" and his "bad relationship with Parcells" are illegitimate ones. He and Parcells have a fine relationship as does he with the rest of this team. Taylor wasn't with this team for the miraculous turn around. He knows what a 1-15 team felt like. He doesn't know what it felt like to go from zero to hero in just one year. Joey Porter knows that. Channing Crowder knows that. And that's why the Dolphins, have what they need as far as motivation goes for the new young linebackers. Jason perhaps could not provide what they can.
