Well, contrary to ProFootballTalk’s belief that the Jake Long contract talks were a ruse to get someone else to agree to a lower deal, Miami has apparently agreed to terms with Michigan offensive tackle Jake Long. Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that the deal is 5-years, $57.5 million, with $30 million guaranteed.
PFT points out that it’s less money than JaMarcus Russell got last year, but it’s also one less year. Personally, I think the comparison is moot anyway, as you’re comparing a tackle to a quarterback.
More importantly, Long will avoid the holdout that Russell had last year, and will likely step right into the lineup on day one, protecting presumably John Beck’s blind side.
The St. Louis Rams are on the clock, and can negotiate with other rookies.
And most importantly, the ZoneBlitz.com Mock Draft, coming on Friday, is 1 for 1–we never fell for the ruse talk, and would have guessed Jake Long 2 months ago, if forced to have made a guess. Our pick for #2 overall spot is that the Rams will go DE Chris Long, meaning both Howie and his son will play for franchises that used to be in Los Angeles.
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I think the Dolphins made the right move here. In the absence of a clear top notch guy I believe the safest move, in general, is to focus on the trenches on either side of the ball. The Dolphins haven’t had a top-notch left tackle since Richmond Webb left and Long will step right in and solidify the position.
Some analysts say he may be better suited for being a right tackle in the long term. I’m not sure that’s true, but if it is, that’s fine. If the Dolphins at some point acquire another top tackle they can always move Long over. He still fills a huge void and it’s highly unlikely that he is a bust over the long haul.