I've tried to stay away from this topic for various reasons. But it seems to be picking up enough steam so I guess it's a good idea for me to address this.
So here's the deal. The Washington Post's Jason La Canfora wrote the following on his "Redskins Insider" blog:
As for ends, there was some discussion about Jason Taylor possibly adding some pass rush as more of a linebacker, and there was talk about keeping him. However, his $8.5 million salary is very steep and he will be approached about coming back at a lesser salary, according to a source. That's quite unlikely to go down, though. Several of Taylor's teammates and others who know him well say they do not expect him to accept a reduced rate.
In that case he'd rather be a free agent, they say, able to sign where he likes, preferring a system with less rigid responsibilities. He's a better fit in a 3-4 scheme and would rather play in a warmer area, they say. Some believe he would even go back to Miami at a discount, if Bill Parcells would take him, to finish his career there. Regardless, coming back here for half his salary seems unrealistic at this point.
So let's take this piece by piece. First off, it's clear that the Dolphins completely ripped off the Redskins in that offseason trade. Again, further reason to trust Bill Parcells and the trifecta.
Depending on where you look, Taylor is owed anywhere between $8 million and $8.5 million in 2009. And I'm sure even he would admit he's probably not worth that much money - at least not based on last season. Like Jason's teammates reportedly said, it's unlikely Taylor would agree to a pay cut.
But could Taylor actually come back to Miami? We know he can play standing up at outside linebacker. And we know the Dolphins are looking for a pass-rushing threat. It seems like it would be a great match - with Taylor returning to the town in which he became a star.
But would Bill Parcells and company really want to take a player back who was so intent on leaving back when he thought the team stunk? Unlikely - in my opinion.
There are so many things to look at, though. Would the front office want him back? How would his teammates feel? Would they welcome his return? And would Taylor even want to come back to Miami after the Dolphins finally won the division - without Jason?
Of course, none of this even matters until we know what the Redskins do with Taylor. But should they cut him, would you be interested in Taylor returning to Miami?