I can't for the life of me find the reasonable logic in "letting Jake Long walk". :err: I just can't. This isn't a knock on anyone personally who has advocated this, but imo suggesting that he just be "let walk" is acting as if we have no weaknesses and can afford to create a hole like that and spend a high draft pick on another "rookie" starting OT. :crazy: And of course, this is also assuming Jonathan Martin is going to be a stud at LT.
Franchise tagging Jake Long immediately when we can is the only logical scenario where you solidify he is here for at "least" another year, even if we start him at RT should Martin rock at LT. During this period, we can still negotiate a 3 or 4 year contract with him that will have a lower cap hit than his tag number. And if we should not come to an agreement in those negotiations, we still have him for the year and then, in 2014 (with less holes and weaknesses) we focus our 1st round pick on OT. To me, it's a no brainer "only" option we have this offseason with Jake Long.
Now I've heard "trade" him as an alternative "after" tagging him. Ok, if they offer us a 1st round pick, I can see that, but is anyone really going to offer that? Ok. If they do, it still is part of a scenario where you "tag" Long. So Long must "not" be let walk, as some are suggesting around here. To me, that's just friggin nuts.
While I'm in the discussion of offseason scenarios...I know, I know, Starks rocks. But you know what? I just don't see how we are better in keeping him. I don't. Odrick, is cheaper and younger and belongs at DT. He is pretty much Starks heir apparent. Moving Odrick inside allows us to re-sign Tony McDaniel as his backup instead, which will be much cheaper than re-signing Starks. And Odrick to me, has a higher ceiling than Starks. Starks has reached his already.
Also, this allows us to keep Olivier Vernon as Cameron Wake's backup and we can focus our 1st round pick on a true pass rushing DE menace on the other side of Wake. If we keep Starks and still go ahead and do this, we basically relegate Odrick to the bench where I don't think he belongs.
I've been recently on the "let Hartline walk" train, but I'm starting to think that based on the fact that Hartline's agent has acknowledged that the Dolphins have indeed made an initial offer to Hartline, that Hartline rejected of course, but it implies that they see him as part of their WR "rotation" for the going forward. So I'm now changing my tone on Hartline. I think they will re-sign him to be either our #2 WR or the #4. But he keeps some depth at a position that we are likely to add two players. One via FA and one in the draft.
Sean Smith must be re-signed. He may not be the best CB out there, but there are not many available and he still is young and has talent. Even by using a 2nd round pick on a CB, we still need Smith and Marshall starting and groom the 2nd round pick. Don't want all these rookies starting. Especially with this apparently hard system to learn.
Re-sign Clemons too and still draft another FS. Clemons will be cheap.
To me, Fasano walks and Starks walks. But Reggie Bush should be re-signed. He is showing that he will work with Miami in order to stay and won't break the bank. Just give him a raise from what he is making now and he'll stick with us for another 2 years. He's a playmaker and we need him for the playoff push. Yes, if he wants to break the bank, we have Miller and Thomas, but all signs point to him not looking to do that. Keep him.
So I think we should sign Greg Jennings as a FA and then use the 1st round pick on a pass rushing DE and then our two 2nd rounders on a CB and an OG. If we can, sign a FA TE and keep Clay and Egnew. But our two 3rd round picks should be focused on a FS and another "speedy" WR. But of course, things always happen in the draft that shake things up with someone dropping for whatever reason. Ok, I'm out. :)
Franchise tagging Jake Long immediately when we can is the only logical scenario where you solidify he is here for at "least" another year, even if we start him at RT should Martin rock at LT. During this period, we can still negotiate a 3 or 4 year contract with him that will have a lower cap hit than his tag number. And if we should not come to an agreement in those negotiations, we still have him for the year and then, in 2014 (with less holes and weaknesses) we focus our 1st round pick on OT. To me, it's a no brainer "only" option we have this offseason with Jake Long.
Now I've heard "trade" him as an alternative "after" tagging him. Ok, if they offer us a 1st round pick, I can see that, but is anyone really going to offer that? Ok. If they do, it still is part of a scenario where you "tag" Long. So Long must "not" be let walk, as some are suggesting around here. To me, that's just friggin nuts.
While I'm in the discussion of offseason scenarios...I know, I know, Starks rocks. But you know what? I just don't see how we are better in keeping him. I don't. Odrick, is cheaper and younger and belongs at DT. He is pretty much Starks heir apparent. Moving Odrick inside allows us to re-sign Tony McDaniel as his backup instead, which will be much cheaper than re-signing Starks. And Odrick to me, has a higher ceiling than Starks. Starks has reached his already.
Also, this allows us to keep Olivier Vernon as Cameron Wake's backup and we can focus our 1st round pick on a true pass rushing DE menace on the other side of Wake. If we keep Starks and still go ahead and do this, we basically relegate Odrick to the bench where I don't think he belongs.
I've been recently on the "let Hartline walk" train, but I'm starting to think that based on the fact that Hartline's agent has acknowledged that the Dolphins have indeed made an initial offer to Hartline, that Hartline rejected of course, but it implies that they see him as part of their WR "rotation" for the going forward. So I'm now changing my tone on Hartline. I think they will re-sign him to be either our #2 WR or the #4. But he keeps some depth at a position that we are likely to add two players. One via FA and one in the draft.
Sean Smith must be re-signed. He may not be the best CB out there, but there are not many available and he still is young and has talent. Even by using a 2nd round pick on a CB, we still need Smith and Marshall starting and groom the 2nd round pick. Don't want all these rookies starting. Especially with this apparently hard system to learn.
Re-sign Clemons too and still draft another FS. Clemons will be cheap.
To me, Fasano walks and Starks walks. But Reggie Bush should be re-signed. He is showing that he will work with Miami in order to stay and won't break the bank. Just give him a raise from what he is making now and he'll stick with us for another 2 years. He's a playmaker and we need him for the playoff push. Yes, if he wants to break the bank, we have Miller and Thomas, but all signs point to him not looking to do that. Keep him.
So I think we should sign Greg Jennings as a FA and then use the 1st round pick on a pass rushing DE and then our two 2nd rounders on a CB and an OG. If we can, sign a FA TE and keep Clay and Egnew. But our two 3rd round picks should be focused on a FS and another "speedy" WR. But of course, things always happen in the draft that shake things up with someone dropping for whatever reason. Ok, I'm out. :)
