I think there's a lot of important stuff going on with the Dolphins' #1 overall pick. The draft is only 11 days away and we don't have a deal set with any of the available players yet. Many have suggested we go with Matt Ryan, a ridiculous choice that only a desperate front office would make. Others want to trade down, the most logical option, but definitely not the most realistic.
Some have even suggested passing on the pick to save some money. I've somewhat advocated that. Not necessary condoned it, but I think it was worth looking into. You should read a very good piece by Omar Kelly at the Sun Sentinel, maybe some of the best stuff I've seen him do. He shoots down the idea of letting the pick slide and offers half a dozen very valid points, one of which I have mentioned before: even if we slide to 3 or 4, that guy's agent will want #1 money or close to it.
Now comes the news from Armando Salguero that the Dolphins are pitching a discount deal to Jake Long. They aren't interested in giving him QB money that was given to JaMarcus Russell. Instead they are offering a slight raise from the Mario Williams deal from the prior year. Hopefully this will work out because they do have some leverage in that they can always go with some other guy. And for the good of the league, I hope it starts a trend where everyone starts making less money. These rookies are getting paid way too much nowadays.
Granted, such a move will not be taken well be agents around the league. EVERYONE will hate this move. But it makes fiscal sense as well as being logical. A 55 million dollar deal with 25 million in guarantees is still a huge sum for a player who hasn't done crap. Especially if that player is Jake Long.
Why is that? Because apparently, Jake doesn't want to come here. Word is that he would prefer not to play in Miami (well who would, but come on you're going to a crappy team if you're good) but is still fielding offers due to the honor of being the #1 pick. If that's true, screw him. We'll pick up another guy in the 2nd round and take Long or Gholston instead. I don't want prima donnas on this roster, particularly on the offensive line. Who ever heard of an offensive lineman being a pain in the ass about where he wants to play. Leave that nonsense to the wide receivers.
Some have speculated that this is just a rouse to drive his price up. Who knows at this point. You can't believe anything when it comes to the draft until the guy is selected and isn't traded by the end of draft day.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
First Pick Discussion
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4 comments:
Rumors are rumors, you know how shady they are during draft season. Hell, it coulda been Belichick hoping Jake Long slides to #7.
Players being able to dictate where they play is ridiculous. I will never be an Eli Manning fan because of what he - well what his dad - did during that draft. I get that Long might not want to play for the team that was the worst last year, but that's what happens when you are good. Besides, it's Miami Jake. Not exactly the worst city to end up.
As for salaries, this is something the NBA does right. I like the draft pay scale. It basically makes player prove themselves before getting their gigantic payday in a few years. Of course the good ones will still make millions off endorsements, but the league can't control that. The best they can do is say "hey you haven't played a single minute yet, there's no way you should automatically become one of the highest paid at your position."
I still haven't heard a valid reason not to pass on the pick...
"The Dolphins can set the tempo of the draft if they pick at #1"
What does that mean? Who cares what the tempo is?
"The Dolphins would be settling and settling is for losers"
No, overpaying for a pick when you could get a guy just as good for $5 million less against the salary cap is for losers.
J.Long, Gholston, Dorsey and C.Long are all elite players (in this draft anyway) and all of them fill a position of need for Miami. There is no clear #1, so why not take whichever guy gives you the best opportunity to afford to retain other quality teammates?
Suckers overpay. Smart buyers don't overpay.
"It makes a mockery of the draft process"
No, the draft process makes a mockery of itself. It makes agents and unproven rookies rich while crippling bad teams' ability to get better. I hope Parcells has the COURAGE to confront this problem. There would be no stronger statement against this Agents' game they call the draft than for Miami to stand up and say "We're not overpaying".
"It shows weakness not to make a pick when you have the pick."
No, succumbing to the greed of the agents and unproven rookies shows weakness. Standing up against a broken draft that, under the salary cap, cripples teams at the top and enriches unproven players is the right thing to do for the team.
"But it screws over St Louis"
No, St Louis is free to slide too if they don't see a player worth paying #1 money for. Let St Louis do what St Louis wants to do.
Plus, Miami might not need to slide very far. If they can't trade out of #1 then they might have better success trying to trade out of #2 or #3.
"But agents would demand #1 money even if they passed down to #2 or #3"
So? If I'm Bill Parcells and an agent demands #1 money for a #3 pick, my response is "No, he wasnt' the #1. He was the #3. We'll pay him what a #3 is worth."
Agents' power is not unlimited, and passing on a pick that is overpriced would be a clear sign that the party is over for agents trying to sell big-money bust rookies at ridiculous prices.
So many people complain about rookie salaries, but what is the solution? Teams are free to make their own decisions and if the managers decide not to be suckers and overpay then their refusal to overpay could start the reform process.
I agree Johnny. Parcells is one of the few guys out there who has the balls to decide enough is enough. If he can start the trend of underpaying the top picks, then hopefully by the time the new CBA rolls around, there will be some sort of rookie pay scale where guys arent getting paid 60 million just for dominating in college.
However, I still think Omar has some solid points there. Passing on the #1 pick just seems sketchy and reeks of indecisiveness and frugal spending. I personally wouldn't mind if they did it, but some fans might be turned off by the idea of giving up the top overall pick for literally nothing. Not everyone will understand the complicated finances behind the situation. Granted you can't cater to fans, especially dumb ones, but they are the ones who pay the bills at the end of the day.
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