Jake Long Free Agent

[Packers4Glory]

Lets stop wishing and hoping and just go get a LT.

I don't see any injury that should really hold him down for the next few seasons, and he's way better than anyone we have right now competing for the job. That way you can keep Bulaga at RT where he could be an all-pro and then you have some depth w/ Newhouse and Sherrod and others.

provided the Dolphins don't sign him by march 12

[Cheesehead Craig]

He's going to awfully pricey though.

[smuggler]

He's not going to be worth the salary he will almost certainly command. That's the issue. When healthy, he's obviously an upgrade over Newhouse. However, Newhouse has what others on this forum have described as 'elite availability' which is a quality that Long and many Packers are sadly lacking in. Based on street-level knowledge we're all operating with, I'll pass.

[pbmax]

Lets stop wishing and hoping and just go get a LT.

I don't see any injury that should really hold him down for the next few seasons, and he's way better than anyone we have right now competing for the job. That way you can keep Bulaga at RT where he could be an all-pro and then you have some depth w/ Newhouse and Sherrod and others.

provided the Dolphins don't sign him by march 12

If he is such a sure thing Left Tackle, why is he on his way out?

[Patler]

Several articles have said the Dolphins were concerned because his play has declined rather significantly and unexpectedly the last year and a half. Still OK, but not elite like a few years ago. No one seemed to have an explanation why, other than wear and tear from accumulated injuries. He could be more of a risk than we might think. Then again, might just have gotten into a funk and will come out of it.

This even suggests he might be destined for RT:

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...out-jake-long/

[Guiness]

There was another thread about this a while back. One of the problems is the money he'd command. He was a #1 overall pick under the 'old' rookie salary structure - his salary last year was $12.8 million!

This causes two problems - it becomes a starting point for negotiations, and the franchise tender would have cost the Dolphins about $15 million. Apparently the number he's looking for is about $11million.

I expect we'll see more of the same from the two next #1 picks, Stafford and Bradford. I'd say Stafford has an outside chance of extending his deal for similar money, but Bradford is going to take a pay cut. I'll be surprised if St-Louis doesn't try for a renegotation this year, his contract counts $13million against the cap, then $17.6 and $16.6 the next two years..

[pbmax]

There was another thread about this a while back. One of the problems is the money he'd command. He was a #1 overall pick under the 'old' rookie salary structure - his salary last year was $12.8 million!

This causes two problems - it becomes a starting point for negotiations, and the franchise tender would have cost the Dolphins about $15 million. Apparently the number he's looking for is about $11million.

I expect we'll see more of the same from the two next #1 picks, Stafford and Bradford. I'd say Stafford has an outside chance of extending his deal for similar money, but Bradford is going to take a pay cut. I'll be surprised if St-Louis doesn't try for a renegotation this year, his contract counts $13million against the cap, then $17.6 and $16.6 the next two years..

Fair point. I can see why they wouldn't franchise him and why the stories about his decline have been numerous. Will be interesting to see if those stories pan out or were just leaked to cloud the issue.

[Packers4Glory]

He's at the point where he may not be able to command anywhere near the salary he made last yr. It would be worth looking into. if your line is weak, your team will only go so far. That's been a lesson the past 2 seasons....that goes for both sides of the ball.

I'm sure his injuries have hurt his play, but I'm not entirely sure that his injuries are something that necessarily will have an impact on future play or ability to return to upper levels of performance. Just speculation based on what I've read.

[red]

andre smith is suppose to be looking for 9 mil a year

there is actually a large amount of LT's that are gonna be on the market that would be an upgrade for us

time to stop screwing around with that position and just go sign a guy that can keep a-rod off the ground

[pbmax]

andre smith is suppose to be looking for 9 mil a year

there is actually a large amount of LT's that are gonna be on the market that would be an upgrade for us

time to stop screwing around with that position and just go sign a guy that can keep a-rod off the ground

Would it be worth dragging up a 2009 combine thread about that kid or the draft thread when the Bengals took him?

Because he looked like a bust waiting to happen and I think KYPack said he was one of the best no one talks about.

[Smeefers]

andre smith is suppose to be looking for 9 mil a year

there is actually a large amount of LT's that are gonna be on the market that would be an upgrade for us

time to stop screwing around with that position and just go sign a guy that can keep a-rod off the ground

First we gotta sign Aaron Rodgers... and right now the going rate for Joe Flaco is 21 mil a year. What's Aaron going to get?

[Tony Oday]

If Flaco is used as a basis AR gets $200 million $100 guarenteed. Sign a real LT and a stud Saftey.

[red]

Would it be worth dragging up a 2009 combine thread about that kid or the draft thread when the Bengals took him?

Because he looked like a bust waiting to happen and I think KYPack said he was one of the best no one talks about.

dude was suppose to be way overweight and lazy coming out of school, i think he was still called that his rookie year, but it sounds like he's really turned into a solid LT. not a pro bowler, but solid

and he's still a big dude at 330 i think

theres quite a few more guys hitting the market. it would really be a crime if we didn't go into next season with a little bit better guy at LT

i say sign a free agent LT and draft barrett jones or another highly ranked center and we go into next season with a much improved line

[Fritz]

Everybody's all "stop screwing around and sign a LT!" like it's monopoly and there's no salary cap.

Sure, sign a guy who has a name we all recognize. Do it!

But don't whine when Raji or Matthews walks because TT signed that name LT or safety or DE you were calling for.

If someone can explain how to fit a likely contract that Long would command into the salary cap, and still afford to keep Sam Shields, say, and Raji and Matthews and Rodgers, and whatever other restricted free agents you'd bitch about if TT didn't keep, plus explain how that would fit with getting James Jones re-signed when he's up, and explain too how that fits into a plan to keep Finley, or not, then please do tell.

[Bretsky]

Everybody's all "stop screwing around and sign a LT!" like it's monopoly and there's no salary cap.

Sure, sign a guy who has a name we all recognize. Do it!

But don't whine when Raji or Matthews walks because TT signed that name LT or safety or DE you were calling for.

If someone can explain how to fit a likely contract that Long would command into the salary cap, and still afford to keep Sam Shields, say, and Raji and Matthews and Rodgers, and whatever other restricted free agents you'd bitch about if TT didn't keep, plus explain how that would fit with getting James Jones re-signed when he's up, and explain too how that fits into a plan to keep Finley, or not, then please do tell.

Are you arguing TT should do nothing in free agency or only sign minimal guys as has been his patern the past few years ?