Jason Taylor outta here? Not so fast ...
All of sudden everybody is thinking that Jason Taylor could be playing his final couple of months with the Dolphins. What a novel idea, right?
I think it was last month when I wrote a column stating the Dolphins should trade Taylor -- for his sake and theirs -- either at the trade deadline or after the season.
Since writing that column two things have happened: Everybody else caught on to the idea. And I've talked to Dolphins insiders who tell me it's not an outrageous idea, but neither is it a foregone conclusion.
I've been told the Dolphins would rather rebuild with Taylor than without him. I've been told the Dolphins believe they can field a pretty fair team after another draft and free agency period and that Taylor would have much more to work with and be excited about at that point.
Will he win a championship with the Dolphins next season? Probably not. But the team shouldn't be the winless wreck it is now.
There are two forces at work beyond Miami's desires (or lack thereof) to trade Taylor.
If Taylor, depressed and feeling hopeless about the future, comes to the team and asks for a trade following the season, the Dolphins would almost be obliged to look around for a deal. Beyond that, some team would have to come with a very attractive offer to tear Taylor from the Miami roster.
We're not talking a third round pick or two third round picks or even a second round pick for Jason Taylor. We're talking a first round pick, knuckleheads. The team that just got a second-round pick for Chris Chambers is not settling for another second-round pick for Jason Taylor. It's going to take a first-rounder.
Understand that not a lot of teams would be willing to part with a first-round pick for a 34-year-old defensive end. It would have to be a team believing itself on the verge of a Super Bowl run, one thinking it's a pass-rusher away from a 'ship.
And so if you ask me today, now, whether I believe Jason Taylor will be with the Dolphins at this time next year, I would have to weigh everything I just told you and say yes. I would guess Taylor will be around.
I think it was last month when I wrote a column stating the Dolphins should trade Taylor -- for his sake and theirs -- either at the trade deadline or after the season.
Since writing that column two things have happened: Everybody else caught on to the idea. And I've talked to Dolphins insiders who tell me it's not an outrageous idea, but neither is it a foregone conclusion.
I've been told the Dolphins would rather rebuild with Taylor than without him. I've been told the Dolphins believe they can field a pretty fair team after another draft and free agency period and that Taylor would have much more to work with and be excited about at that point.
Will he win a championship with the Dolphins next season? Probably not. But the team shouldn't be the winless wreck it is now.
There are two forces at work beyond Miami's desires (or lack thereof) to trade Taylor.
If Taylor, depressed and feeling hopeless about the future, comes to the team and asks for a trade following the season, the Dolphins would almost be obliged to look around for a deal. Beyond that, some team would have to come with a very attractive offer to tear Taylor from the Miami roster.
We're not talking a third round pick or two third round picks or even a second round pick for Jason Taylor. We're talking a first round pick, knuckleheads. The team that just got a second-round pick for Chris Chambers is not settling for another second-round pick for Jason Taylor. It's going to take a first-rounder.
Understand that not a lot of teams would be willing to part with a first-round pick for a 34-year-old defensive end. It would have to be a team believing itself on the verge of a Super Bowl run, one thinking it's a pass-rusher away from a 'ship.
And so if you ask me today, now, whether I believe Jason Taylor will be with the Dolphins at this time next year, I would have to weigh everything I just told you and say yes. I would guess Taylor will be around.
posted by Armando Salguero at 9:33 PM
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29 Comments:
Armando,
I agree with you up to a point. I think that he will either be here, or he will retire to Hollywood. Haven't there been rumors that he is interested in acting? Of course, for Hollywood to come knocking, he would have to play more like Jason Taylor, 2006 Defensive MVP, and not Jason Taylor, vacationing in September 2007.
Go Dolphins!!!
DrumFinFan
You're on ego trip -- no, the world does not revolve around you, Armando.
People aren't catching on to trading Jason because of you..ahh, can we say, check your ego.
Its logical to think about trading Jason when the team is obviously selling off parts to rebuild after your buddies Mueller and Cam destroyed the franchise.
I have no problems with Taylor staying. Everyone was saying a couple years ago, and even at the beginning of last year that Bret Favre should either retire or leave Green Bay. He stuck around instead, and they are starting to turn things around there. I think getting younger is key to rebuilding, but you want some proven veterans to build around. I hope JT stays Aqua and Orange, we can use him during this process.
Its hard to chew 0-6, but I do see some positives. Ronnie Brown has emerged as a top tier running back. The offensive line is steadily improving. Cameron is good at calling plays, and can tailor his game plan to different types of QBs (Pocket passer Green vs. semi-mobile Lemon). If the defense wasn't such a let down, and even remotely near where it was last year, we would be 3-3, posibly 4-2 right now. So, rebuild the team, but it shouldn't take more than a year or two to push for the playoffs again.
Can someone answer me this:
Who is starting opposite Booker? Ginn or Stone-Hands Hagan?
Trading Taylor is like getting rid of your old truck, you would hate to do it cause it has stuck with you forever but you know that at some point in time you have to or it becomes worthless. I love the guy and what hes brought to us over the years but i we want to win then we have to rebuild and in order to do that we have to get as many picks as we can. I dont think hell be gone but if they are to commit to rebuilding than he has to at least be shopped.
I love J.T. and all the things he has done for the Miami Dolphins. However, this is getting ridiculous. Jason, needs to to do some soul searching and ask himself "What is best for me?" Jason has said on several occasions that he doesn't like the "R" word, yet the other day he comes to terms with it after the Chambers trade.
Jason, we love ya. But, what's it going to be? Do you want to be here, or do not want to be here?
hey anonymous......you say that Armando is on an ego trip....apparently itis you. He probably won't address your lame comments, but I will.
I for one appreciate his sharp insight, and quick wit. And as I recall he was the first person to publicly address the JT trade possability. That was about one month ago.
Maybe your buddies are Jed and Jethro.
Get a life, and stop whining. We real fans here are tired of you taking up space here.
Anonymous said...
Wow. I know we suck (THIS year). But I couldn't BELIEVE WTF our boy, Dan said on HBO's Inside The NFL. He said (upon talking about Vinny), If he came back to football, he would want to be a Patriot. Wow, I can't believe he said that. That blew me away. Did anybody see that? But if that's what our team is reduced to...to where our legends say if they came back, they wouldn't want to be anything but a Dolphin, we're screwed. Our franchise's "identy" is a joke. I know it's unlikely, but go Phins. Make "Tom" Brady look like "Marcia" Brady like we have at times in the past when we sucked. It's a reach, but on any given Sunday....whatever, who am I fooling. But we'll see. It's not Sunday at 4:0 yet. whatever.
1:08 AM
I like your attitude about trading JT. JT GOES FOR NOTHING LESS THAN A 1ST ROUND PICK. THE GUY IS A HALL OF FAMER.
If I had to pick a likely team, it would be the Cowboys. They have an extra 1st round pick from Cleveland in 2008. And they are a team that is close to being a Super Bowl contender.
But seriously, JT stays in Miami if there isn't a 1st round pick offer.
I agree with you. However, and this despite the fact that I think you are a great writer and I'm glad you're with the Herald covering the Dolphins--you are wrong about a lot when it comes to the phins and your inside information doesn't exactly give you a leg up. Let's not forget that you predicted, based on your inside information, the Dolphins were going to be (I think you said...) 10-6 and make the playoffs.
no way Fins are getting a first round pick for JT next year regardless of the other team's need.
Cracks me up how people read this blog day after day after day and no matter what my boy Mando writes, they find a way to make it about him somehow.
The kid's been on national TV, he's on here, he's got a radio show, he probably has babes coming out of his ears.
So what? Stop hating anonymous.
I DON'T KNOW IF JASON TAYLOR KNOWS THIS, BUT HIS LEGACY IN MIAMI IS IN THE "MARINO,SHULA" CATEGORY(SET IN STONE), WE FANS HAVE EMBRACED HIM AND WE WOULD PUT A STATUE OF HIM AT THE STADIUM IF FANS HAD A SAY. THE DOLPHINS WILL ALWAYS BE MY TEAM, BUT I CAN;T IMAGINE A DOLPHIN TEAM W/O HIM. IT JUST WONT BE THE SAME,I KNOW IT'S A BIZ. BUT IT JUST WOULDN'T FEEL RIGHT, AM I ALONE IN THIS FEELING?
PROJECTED MIAMI DOLPHINS 2008 DRAFT PICKS:
ROUND 1: GLENN DORSEY-DT,LSU 6-2/300lb/5.10 high motor,good against both run and pass
NFL COMPARISON: TOMMIE HARRIS
ROUND 2: TERRELL THOMAS-S,CB,USC 6-1/200lb/4.39 ball-hawk,jack of all trades, can play saftey or corner,leader and captain of usc's locker room.
NFL COMPARISON: ED REED
ROUND 2:(CHARGERS) BARRY RICHARDSON-OT,CLEMSON 6-7
/320lb/5.40/ monster offensive tackle started all
32 games at clemson and injury free!
NFL COMPARISON: TRA THOMAS
ROUND 2:(PATRIOTS) DOMINIQUE CROMARTIE-CB,TENN ST.
6-2/182lb/4.35/ a TALL 6'2" corner that can run a 4.3 and avg. six int's a year is like finding the loch ness monster!
NFL COMPARISON: CHRIS MCALLISTER
ROUND 3: MARTELLUS BENNETT-TE,TEXAS AM 6-7/248/
4.71/ played basketball at T&AM, cam's eyes will light up if he's still on the board (antonio gates all over again for cam who scouted a young gates.
NFL COMPARISON: ANTONIO GATES
IF THE DOLPHINS PLAY IT RIGHT (big if) WE CAN COME OUT OF DAY ONE WITH A BEAST AT DT IN DORSEY, EASILY 2 A+ CORNERS (this draft is loaded with db's) A TALL, ATHLETIC TE, AND A ROCKSTEADY OT TO PROTECT BECK OR LEMON'S BLIND SIDE, NOT TO MENTION WE HAVE THE SECOND DAY OF THE DRAFT TO GET DEPTH AT MUCH NEEDED POSITIONS. WE NEED TO KEEP STOCKPILING DRAFT PICKS LIKE THE COWBOYS IN THE 90'S. WE CAN COME OUT WITH SOME REAL TALENT THIS YEAR. GIVE CAM CREDIT HE DID A GOOD JOB WITH THE PICKS LAST YEAR, ALMOST ALL ARE NOW STARTING! AND WE GET TO SEE GINN JR. EXCLUSIVELY NOW. HERE'S TO '08 MY FELLOW DOLPHIN FANS! WHAT DO U GUYS THINK?
Sonny looks good but, did we get the Pat's 2nd round pick for this year too????
Who cares if you can't get a first round pick for Jason?
Jason is going to be retired by the time this team is good. You have to get SOMETHING for him before he loses all value.
Getting a 2nd or 3rd rounder for Jason would be a better result than keeping him prisoner on this crappy team until he loses ALL VALUE and we get NOTHING in return.
I would not go as far as to say we have to get a 1st rounder for JT or the trade would not be worth it. As Armando stated, if Chambers was worth a 2nd and I'll add Welker was worth a 2nd and a 7th then JT should be worth a 1st. Taylor does not look or play like a 34 year old. He has been very durable and looks to have a few more years left in the tank.
I know there is a lot of sentimentality for players like Jason Taylor and Zack Thomas, but football is a business. The harsh reality is, the teams that cut players loose as they cross over their peak are the teams that replenish talent and control multiple 1st day draft picks.
Here's an interesting question; would you rather have a winning team or a team filled with venerable aging players that you have become enamored with? Why is Porter here while Pittsburgh keeps rolling along? Granted Joey was a FA but the Steelers were willing to part ways because they saw him cross the peak.
Think about it this way... Draft a Jason Taylor in the 3rd round then trade him for a 1st round pick after 10 years of exceptional performance. That is how a team should manage personnel in the NFL. In fact, it's a coup... Think about it, 10 years of play and a 1st rounder.
With that in mind, I'm starting to talk myself into thinking even a 2nd round pick would not be a bad thing. If we could do that with more of our picks we would be standing in NE's shoes or Pittsburgh's shoes.
Oh, I forgot... We have 4 years of Wannstedt to overcome. Not one player left from his drafts. OUCH!
Hey, JT has been great to Miami, but it's time to let him go. No-one is coughing up a first round pick for a 34 yr old. Take what you can get and give him a shot at a ring somewhere.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Two things: I'm married and look at my picture. I don't have babes coming out of anything.
Very much off topic but I am just curious. Armando, do you think/know if Mr. Huizenga reads these blogs or anyone else in the top brass of the organization?
We should trade JT just for the simple fact he deservers a shot at a ring. He is not out shopping teams looking for a trip to the Super bowl like other players have in thier final years,(Seau)
But he is deserving.
I can tell you for a fact that Joe Bailey knows about the people trashing team counsel Matt Thomas and disclosing information about power struggles within the organization...
Armando, I do not see why the Dolphins would trade JT.
First off, his market value in a trade will not exceed his value to the team on the field and as a leader (Mueller just had that confirmed for him in recent discussions with potential suitors).
Second, as you said, things can get turned around pretty quickly in the NFL; they can still right the ship within JT's window.
Third, I cannot imagine why JT would ask for a trade. His roots are here, his foundation is here, and there's no guarantee whatsoever that he'd win a championship elsewhere. He knows this.
Armando, I sincerely hope that we are not going to spend the rest of the season talking about trading JT and Zach.
I'm begging...in a nice way.
I am with the others who say stop hating on Armando and the other columnists. If you dont like the style, stop reading. Simple.
Trying to act like a hard guy and criticize a reporter is as out of place as propogating 9/11 conspiracy theories.
Dolfan abroad
Armando:
You are slacking. You've posted ZERO news in the past 3 days. Opining that JT is staying is NOT news.
Tell us about tomorrow. Tell us about Maroney's injury, or Cameron Worst-ell's shoulder, or even what you think the plan of attack will be tomorrow.
Tell us if you've seen any interesting stunts being run in practice that you think will be used to disrupt Brady.
TELL US SOMETHING USEFUL!!!
I think that if we can get a first or a second and third we should go for it. We are building and he deserves a ring. It would have been smart to trade Marino during his last couple of years. Sure we made the playoffs but at times Dan made poor decisions. If we are rebuilding then lets rebuild.
jeff,
just chalk up this season.we need to get rod woodson the quarterback from the university of kentucky.he has a better arm than the quarterbacks we have.
i agree if a 1st rounder isnt offer jt stays. unless its player for player. keep an eye open ocho cinco maybe out of cincy.
He's worth a 1st rounder but, let the guy go for a 2nd round pick! Jason could pick what team he wanted to be traded too for a 2nd round pick! We don't get equal value for the player but both sides would get what they want, Jason goes to a winner, we get a young prospect!
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