REPORT: Dolphins close to deal with Jake Long (updated)

by Matty I on Apr 21, 2008 12:56 PM EDT in News

NBC Sports' Tom Curran is reporting that a deal is almost in place between the Dolphins and Michigan OT Jake Long. Curran writes:

The Dolphins flirtations with Michigan tackle Jake Long over the past few weeks have been well-publicized but this morning, with six days to go before the draft, a league source is indicating that a contract agreement is nearly in place.

Word that Miami initiated talks with Long's agent, Tom Condon, surfaced almost two weeks ago. Condon actually was in South Florida to meet with Dolphins officials. Miami's also made overtures toward Vernon Gholston but little other progress has been mentioned.

We knew this week was going to be interesting, and it's started already. So far, I haven't found any other source corroborating Curran's report. However, Peter King, in his article today, writes the following:

So before I give you my first-round picks, understand the following things that I know to be true this morning make this draft hard to predict:

* Miami has a real chance of getting Jake Long signed as the No. 1 pick.

Then later in the article, he adds:

Word on the agent street is that Tom Condon is trying to find a compromise with Bill Parcells so that Jake Long, not defensive end Vernon Gholston, will be the Dolphins' first pick. We've all assumed (me, until now) that Parcells would see the same flash of Lawrence Taylor in Gholston that he saw in DeMarcus Ware. I'm sure he does. But he also sees some of Jumbo Elliott -- his favorite offensive lineman ever -- in Jake Long.

So could a deal indeed be close? Possibly. But right now, I'd still take anything you hear with a grain of salt.

One thing you also need to consider, too, is that the Dolphins could have possibly leaked this deal so that another player who was hoping to go first overall (perhaps Chris Long or Vernon Gholston) would pressure his agent to contact the Dolphins and tell them that they would take a lesser deal than Jake to be the first overall pick. And Gholston would be the more likely player to slide if he doesn't go first overall, so he'd be more likely to urge his agent to take a smaller contract than what Jake is close to signing in order to be that #1 pick.

Of course, I'm just throwing out wild theories. It could be that the Dolphins actually want to make Jake Long their #1 pick and all these wild theories and ideas are nothing more than over-thinking by fans and the media.

Update [2008-4-21 16:3:46 by Matty I]: The Palm Beach Post is now also reporting that the Dolphins are indeed close to a deal with Jake Long:

The Dolphins are close enough in pre-draft negotiations with Michigan offensive tackle Jake Long that a finalized contract could be announced any day, an NFL source told The Palm Beach Post today.

The source said "there's a very good chance" Long already will be under contract as the No. 1 pick before the NFL Draft begins at 3 p.m. Saturday at Radio City Music Hall in New York.

The source dismissed prior reports that the Dolphins had issued a deadline for Long to sign so that they could move on to negotiate with other possible candidates if necessary. The source also said the Dolphins have not negotiated with any other players.

The Dolphins declined to comment. A call to Long's agent, Tom Condon, was not immediately returned. Thoughts?

And the plot tickens...[end update]

Update [2008-4-21 17:33:3 by Matty I]: The Miami Herald's Jeff Darlington is also backing up the original report by NBC. That article is right here. [end update #2]

Hat tip to Layuma for posting the NBC Sports report as a diary.

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Comments

Jake Long Immediate Impact

Jake would give us our quickest chance for improvement- open up holes for Ricky & Ronnie, good running game taking pressure off Beck allowing him to succeed.
Controlling the ball so our Defense isn't on the field so much!
Initially I was for Chris Long....but the more I think about it and if you research Jake...man it is a Great Fit!

by MassFinFan65 on Apr 21, 2008 1:09 PM EDT 0 recs

As it has been said....

If BP and Co. didnt wan't people to know this.... it wouldnt be released. I agree that they want to trade down somewhere in the top 5 so they can still get one of the Longs or Gholston.

by YatilGinnJr on Apr 21, 2008 1:10 PM EDT 0 recs

Right! Don't forget, BP was a done deal with

Atlanta the day before he became the Fins VP.

;)

by LeftCoastFinFan on Apr 21, 2008 3:17 PM EDT up 0 recs

Matty1

Your're gonna be so f#@*ing busy... LoL.

Keep the great info train going! Exactly what some of us have been thinking. Miami is in such a great position. How can they loose with any of these draftees in the top three to five?

Like the midget of the 70's show Fanatsy Island... "the trade, the trade". I crack me up. It's like the build up in a great movie -- building up to a great ending -- and there's one character left standing looking good.

And that charcter in this build up is the Miami Dolphins!!!

by Alpha6 on Apr 21, 2008 1:38 PM EDT 0 recs

busy

Oh yea. This week is going to be insanely busy. We got the draft, Jason Taylor speculation, and (don't forget) the new site design launching on Wednesday.

That's why I'm trying my damnedest to get all the "real world/job" things taken care of early this week.

Busy times ahead, though!

by Matty I on Apr 21, 2008 2:07 PM EDT up 0 recs

Keep up the good work

Good luck with all the challenges for the week. This is my favorite site for my Dolphin news. Thanks for all the good work.

by resman on Apr 21, 2008 3:08 PM EDT up 0 recs

There is a difference between...

...contract agreement, and agreeing on the parameters of a contract. One is binding, the other is just agreeing on the numbers IF a contract agreement is actually reached.

The stone is far from written in just yet.

by dab415217 on Apr 21, 2008 2:44 PM EDT 0 recs

True...

but isn't agreeing on the numbers in a contract basically agreeing to the contract? I'm not sure of all the things that go into NFL contracts so I'm actually asking how it works.. Wouldn't the only thing left to do after agreeing on numbers be to put the signature on the dotted line? Or is there more to the process?

http://canemutiny.blogspot.com A fans view of Miami Hurricanes Football and Basketball

by Little Nicky 21 on Apr 21, 2008 2:50 PM EDT up 0 recs

you're right.

I think you are saying the same things... if he agrees to the parameters, the contract is written up and signed, but until it is signed it is just a non-binding verbal agreement.

This is ALWAYS a salient issue when dealing with Parcells. He has a tendency for backing out of handshake deals. :)

by LeftCoastFinFan on Apr 21, 2008 3:22 PM EDT up 0 recs

NFL player contracts

It is possible a team & player could agree on total contract value and contract length but disagree on guaranteed portion, bonuses, incentives, etc.

For example, hypothetically, say a player signed a three year contract for $10-Million with a $1-million signing bonus where the salaries were $1-million YEAR-1, $1.25-million YEAR-2, and $4-million YEAR-3 and there were $2.75-million in incentives (reporting to camps on-time, roster bonus, etc.).

The two parties could argue that a player will likely not be retained for the 3rd year (at $4-million) so any incentive-money in YEAR-3 should be shifted to the other two years. The team will likely want the majority of the incentive-money in YEAR-3.

They agree on numbers but no contract, yet.

This is just a sample as a friend described it to me a few years ago.

by NumberOneFan on Apr 21, 2008 3:33 PM EDT up 0 recs

Thanks

That pretty much clears it up for me.. I just hope all the particulars get done and Big Jake strolls up the podium and holds up a Dolphin jersey on Saturday.

http://canemutiny.blogspot.com A fans view of Miami Hurricanes Football and Basketball

by Little Nicky 21 on Apr 21, 2008 3:47 PM EDT up 0 recs

No, it's not the same

The Tuna could be setting up parameters of a contract, i.e. "if we draft you, then you will play for this many years, this much $, these incentives, etc." Then they can approach the draft knowing that this is an option. But, if another team comes along with a better deal, Tuna takes it.

I'd be very surprised if a contract was signed before draft day. Why eliminate other potential options? If Cincinnati says we'll give you Chad Johnson and our third round draft pick, would you say no?

Speaking of which, what do you guys think of Jason Taylor for Chad Johnson straight up?

by New York Fins Fan on Apr 21, 2008 4:55 PM EDT up 0 recs

Think about this?

Atlanta needs an OL make-over and, IMO, is counting on drafting Jake Long. They have a good DL but OL, they need a player like Jake Long.

A week or so ago, there was an article published that Jake Long was quoted as saying Jake Long did not want to be a Miami dolphin.

I am leaning towards the possibility that Miami is working on a deal with Atlanta where Miami drafts Jake Long and then trades him to Atlanta and get additional picks in the 2nd and/or 3rd rounds. (The team is trying to work a contract with Jake Long, a contract that Atlanta has defined, not Bill Parcells & the Dolphins.) Maybe Atlanta will draft Vernon Gholston and then trade him (and draft picks) to Miami for Jake Long.

IMO, a deal is close to being in-place where, in the end, Atlanta will get Jake Long and Miami will get Vernon Gholston.

by NumberOneFan on Apr 21, 2008 3:21 PM EDT 0 recs

We need Jake Long just as Much as Atlanta

Many holes in our line....but I also agree with your scenerio!

by MassFinFan65 on Apr 21, 2008 3:51 PM EDT up 0 recs

I'll start believing stuff...

AFTER the pick is announced and not very much before.

I think you have to consider every NFL GM and personnel guy's comments in public as categorically false until proven otherwise in April :)

by Natalya on Apr 21, 2008 3:21 PM EDT 0 recs

Slide over Nat....

I think I'll grab a seat with you on the "wait and see" skeptics train. I am not buying what anyone is selling until I see it announced on draft day.

;)

by LeftCoastFinFan on Apr 21, 2008 3:25 PM EDT up 0 recs

Ditto...

but hoping the buck stops here. the more i think about it, the more i'm convinced jlong should be the guy. so yeah, i'll believe it once i see/hear it, and until then- HOPE i see/hear it on saturday!

The Jayfiss Report ...one fan's rants.

by NumberSeven on Apr 21, 2008 3:55 PM EDT up 0 recs

even when...

it is announced it still wont be set in stone.. take the eli, rivers fiasco a couple years ago and the scenario of us and atlanta dealing. im gonna sit with you guys on the "skeptics train" as LCFF put it, but i might be sitting a little longer and drink a couple more beers.

There will be changes here, there's no doubt about that ~BP~

by jwillis9 on Apr 21, 2008 3:50 PM EDT 0 recs

Beck's Attitude Toward Top Pick

Thought people might be interested in reading this:

http://www.cougarfan.com/article.asp?ArtID=46485&URL=http://www.azcentral.com/sports/cardinals/a rticles/2008/04/20/20080420nfldraftdolphins.html

by caesq on Apr 21, 2008 3:53 PM EDT 0 recs

great article

i like the head he's got on his shoulders.

The Jayfiss Report ...one fan's rants.

by NumberSeven on Apr 21, 2008 3:58 PM EDT up 0 recs

Jake Long to Dolphins Hogwash?

JAKE-TO-FINS RUSE EXPANDING?
Posted by Mike Florio on April 21, 2008, 4:31 p.m.
Earlier on Monday, Tom Curran of NBCSports.com reported that the Miami Dolphins were close to a deal with Michigan offensive tackle Jake Long that would make him the No. 1 overall selection in the draft, and that would put him under contract for up to six years.

There's now a similar report in the Palm Beach Post.

The unnamed source who provided thw info to the Post claims that the Fins didn't provide a deadline to Long, and that the Fins have not negotiated with any other players.

And those two statements are enough to get us to believe that the report is, was, and will be hogwash.

Surely, the Fins and Bill "My Way Or The Highway . . . And A Foot Up Your Ass" Parcells would have to do everything in their power to squeeze Long into considering the offer, especially since Parcells is by all appearances committed to paying the No. 1 overall pick in 2008 less than what the first selection received in 2008. Absent such hardball tactics, the only deal that Jake Long would be doing is the JaMarcus Russell package, plus 15 percent.

So we think that these reports are all part of the broader ruse to get another player to jump on an offer that currently is on the table. And we suspect that the other player in question is Ohio State linebacker/defensive end Vernon Gholston.

Matt

by Matt27 on Apr 21, 2008 4:43 PM EDT 0 recs