The Dolphins Make Me Cry.com - Forums

Jake Long tore his right biceps Saturday Mort said on ESPN late last night.

Another injury to go along with his lower back issues, bad shoulder, and knee issues. 2012 is the final year of his contract. I don't know if Miami can give him a long-term deal, it might not be wise. He is really beaten up as a player.

See how many games he plays next year and how he performs and maybe just franchise tag him and go year to year. Because I don't see Jake having a long NFL career. He is really beaten up. He was giving up a sack a game for the first month or so this year when he was playing hurt/injured. Now he has the back issue and the biceps issue, he might go downhill really fast.

Using him as trade bait to move up to get Andrew Luck might not be a bad idea.  That might save at least one pick.

Not a bad idea at all. But he might be so damaged I don't know what is value is. With the back issues and now the biceps (to go along with the shoulder and knee issues that never really healed)....I'm thinking he might start 2012 on PUP and misses 6 games. Especially for him in a contract year. He won't want to look bad next year, so he will want the extra rest.

IF we can trade him and move up, I am all for it. I just don't think his value is anything special right now. He is really really beaten up right now.

He needs to get all necessary surgeries done immediately, then begin his rehab work.  I still think the Dolphins can get at least a second rounder for him.

2nd rounder I would agree with if the rehab is going well by April. If they can't trade him or don't want too and if the Fins re-sign him, I would almost rather see them move Jake to RT and find a new LT as its a less demanding position. I can't see Jake holding up at LT for many more years. He is getting beat up too much playing LT. Right tackle is a little less demanding.

Gaak!  He's an elite left tackle!  I would not, under (almost) any circumstances, trade Jake Long.  He's only 26, and has played 16, 16, 16, and 14 games during his career.  He may get injured here and there, but he's durable.  He plays hurt.  This is like suggesting the Dolphins should have traded Dan Marino because he kept having knee surgeries every year.  The guy still played and played well.

^ Wow, Dude.

Even I know that comparing Jake Long to Dan Marino is going way way way too far.

This is nothing like suggesting what you are suggesting.

Also, define "elite". Matt Moore is 8th in the league in sacks with 35 - and he didn't even play until mid-game in week 4. How many hurries and knockdowns does he have? From his side?

I vividly remember a rookie Patriots defense man playing in his first game owning Long on that Week 1 MNF match-up. How does an "elite" guard let that happen?

^^^JTex, I'm comparing injury histories to make a point that guys that battle injuries can still be durable and even excel, not comparing legacies or talent or value to the franchise or whatever you read into my statement.  Marino was always injured.  Always played.  Long has battled injuries.  He always plays.  I'm not suggesting Long is in Marino's class (regardless of position).  What I am saying is he's a player who is in his prime, plays hurt, and is elite.  And I am saying that trading him (while hurt, no less) even though he shows up and plays well each week is as silly as if someone had made the same suggestion about Dan the Man back in the day.

JTex, the following players had a sack in the week 1 game:

1.0 - Patrick Chung (a veteran safety)
0.5 - Andre Carter (a veteran OLB/DE)
0.5 - Myron Pryor (3-year DT)
1.0 - Mark Anderson (veteran DE)
0.5 - Vince wilfork (veteran DT)
0.5 - Mike Wright (veteran DE)

I don't know who you mean.  As for elite, Long is by concensus one of the top 2 or 3 LT in the game.

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/story?id=6877023&_slug_=nfl-scouts-inc-2011-top-offensive-tackle-rankings&action=upsell&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fnfl%2fstory%3fid%3d6877023%26_slug_%3dnfl-scouts-inc-2011-top-offensive-tackle-rankings (http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/story?id=6877023&_slug_=nfl-scouts-inc-2011-top-offensive-tackle-rankings&action=upsell&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fnfl%2fstory%3fid%3d6877023%26_slug_%3dnfl-scouts-inc-2011-top-offensive-tackle-rankings)

I wish I could tell you I'm some OL guru type that has broken down tape, but I go by what I see (that he's good) and what I read (that he's elite) and that's the opinion I get.

Sure get rid of arguably the best left tackle in the game because now all of a sudden he's "injury prone."  See how long (no pun intended) our "new" QB lasts with nobody protecting his blind side. 


That's an Ireland move if I ever saw one.. ??? ::)  ???  ::)

 Jake is breaking down. How long will our new QB survive if Long starts 2012 on PUP? How long will our new QB survive if Long as he gets older is missing more and more games a year because of his laundry list of injuries. Jake is piling up injuries that go beyond the little bump and bruises. He may be the next "Tony Boselli"....great LT, short career due to injuries!

It's better to get rid of a guy a year too early than a year too late. It's what Pitt and New England does and it works for them. I'm not saying do it, but it should be thought about at the very least.

Getting rid of guys a year too early is a great luxury when you are well-stocked with talent in many positions, as NE and PIT are.

MIA is in nowhere near the same boat.

I do not see his injuries as an issue. He has had nagging injuries but that is part of football. The torn biceps caused him to miss some games but its really not a big deal in the whole scheme of things.

And he makes another pro bowl. Seems elite to me. -EK

He made that Pro Bowl on reputation rather than performance.  Kinda like Richmond Webb in 1996.  His performance was not up to Pro Bowl standards this year

^^^Perhaps not, but only because his standards are that of an elite LT.  So he had a "very good player" kind of year rather than an elite player year.  I'd rather a guy in his prime whose ceiling is elite than trading said player for pennies on the dollar so Miami can then try Colombo at LT.  Pass!

And maybe it has a little to do with the fact that there just aren't that many elite LT's around right now? If you even sniff an elite year, you're in by default.

Yeah, maybe.  Even more reason not to trade one of the very few legit top guys.

I'm sorry, but in today's NFL, you don't win championships with Pro Bowl left tackles.  You win them with Pro Bowl quarterbacks.

He won't start the season on PUP.  He has almost 8 months to rehab.  If that isn't enough time, another 6 weeks isn't going to get him anywhere.

Disagree.  You win them with MANY Pro-Bowl PLAYERS at MANY positions on BOTH sides of the ball.

There are 6 Pro-Bowl QB's every year and only one Super Bowl champion.

What makes you think that? It's not like the fans are the only factor contributing. His peers and coaches must have felt he was the best player at his position as well. I also didn't read any media reports on any other LT's getting snubbed. He got there because of his play, not his name. -EK

Not going to get much for Long if you trade him.  At least not for the 2012 draft.  Any trade would include conditional picks for 2013. 

Nobody said he wasn't elite ::). But how many more years does he have left with all of his injuries. He is looking like the next Tony Boselli

100% true. You can get by with a lackluster LT, you can't get by with a lackluster QB

Mark Sanchez.
Mark Sanchez's offensive line.

Actually, Jtex implied, if not actually said just that. Wrong again. -EK