SoCalThrilla wrote: We certainly put a phone call in but I think someone will overpay for him.  I would rather draft a homegrown Oline for much cheaper and put the $$$ that we would have to put towards Long to extending Butler.

toddhoopster wrote:

DAVIE, Fla. — Tackle Jake Long’s absence from the lineup will help the Miami Dolphins decide whether to keep him next year. Long hurt his left triceps in the first half of Sunday’s loss to New England, and the Dolphins fear he’ll miss the rest of the season. That means Long might have played his final game for Miami, because he can become an unrestricted free agent this winter.

Rookie Jonathan Martin moved from right tackle to the left side to replace Long against the Patriots, and if he plays well in the final four games, the switch could become permanent. Long, a perennial Pro Bowl tackle since being taken with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2008 draft, earns a base salary of $11.2 million this season. He would receive $15.4 million next year if the Dolphins give him a franchise tag. That’s likely more than Miami will be willing to spend, given that Long has battled injuries for much of his career and has endured a disappointing season. The Dolphins (5-7) have lost four of their past five games, and their already slim playoff hopes might be quashed Sunday, when they play at NFC West leader San Francisco. So the timing’s right to start thinking about next year. Martin, a second-round draft pick, protected Andrew Luck’s blind side as a left tackle at Stanford. He has started every game this year at right tackle, and Philbin said the rookie fared well after Long went out. “He did a good job. He played well,” Philbin said. “He has a bunch of reps in his history from college playing over there. Here he doesn’t get a lot of repetitions over there, but I thought he made a good adjustment in the middle of the game.” Nate Garner, who has nine career starts, took over at right tackle. Long has missed only two games in five NFL seasons. He was chosen a Pro Bowl starter each of the past three years and was a front-runner to be selected this year. “He has been a good player for a long time, and he’s the leader on the offense,” quarterback Ryan Tannehill said. “So it’s tough to replace him.” Even so, Long has become a less dominant blocker as his injuries accumulate. He was slowed by an ankle injury as a rookie and hurt his shoulder in 2010. Last year he battled back trouble, then missed the final game with a torn right biceps. He missed practice time this season because of a right knee injury.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/redskins/dolp hins-fear-jake-longs-arm-injury-is-season-ending-r ookie-martin-set-to-fill-in/2012/12/03/e75288ba-3d 7a-11e2-8a5c-473797be602c_story.html


So how bout it. Do we try to get Long to come to the Chargers next year. 

fouts05 wrote: Liuget and Butler need to be extended and as much as we'd like and need a stud OT - we can't set the market like we did for Weddle.  We don't have the money.  Gaither will be back as a backup as otherwise there's $13MLL in dead cap money - and obviously we cut Clary finally.  Not to mention, it doesn't appear Jake Long's worth the money he's likely to receive

SoCalThrilla wrote: We certainly put a phone call in but I think someone will overpay for him.  I would rather draft a homegrown Oline for much cheaper and put the $$$ that we would have to put towards Long to extending Butler.

SoCalThrilla wrote: We certainly put a phone call in but I think someone will overpay for him.  I would rather draft a homegrown Oline for much cheaper and put the $$$ that we would have to put towards Long to extending Butler.

SDChargers85fan wrote:

SoCalThrilla wrote: We certainly put a phone call in but I think someone will overpay for him.  I would rather draft a homegrown Oline for much cheaper and put the $$$ that we would have to put towards Long to extending Butler.

Agree, just draft Lewan, a younger Michigan LT who is nastier on the field.  No doubt the Bolts will be in position to get him.

fouts05 wrote: What's sad, is we absolutely can't afford to take best available player in this draft - given we obviously can't afford Long.  And I know we need a CB.  It's gotta be an O-line because of AJ's neglect

SDChargers85fan wrote:

SoCalThrilla wrote: We certainly put a phone call in but I think someone will overpay for him.  I would rather draft a homegrown Oline for much cheaper and put the $$$ that we would have to put towards Long to extending Butler.

Agree, just draft Lewan, a younger Michigan LT who is nastier on the field.  No doubt the Bolts will be in position to get him.

SoCalThrilla wrote: Actually, we absolutely can afford to take BPA as long as it's in line with a need position, which it should be given where we will be picking.

If Te'o is there, you take him and draft O-line the rest of the way.

If one of these top tackles are there, you draft him and possibly go O-line in either round 2 or 3 depending on if there's another solid tackle or a 1st round graded Guard there.

If Milner is there and he rates far above any of the tackles, you take him and go O-line the rest of the way.

There's three scenarios right there where we can go BPA and it would be the right choice.

fouts05 wrote: What's sad, is we absolutely can't afford to take best available player in this draft - given we obviously can't afford Long.  And I know we need a CB.  It's gotta be an O-line because of AJ's neglect

SDChargers85fan wrote:

SoCalThrilla wrote: We certainly put a phone call in but I think someone will overpay for him.  I would rather draft a homegrown Oline for much cheaper and put the $$$ that we would have to put towards Long to extending Butler.

Agree, just draft Lewan, a younger Michigan LT who is nastier on the field.  No doubt the Bolts will be in position to get him.

kelomar wrote: Anyone who has watched Long play knows we have to make a run at him. He can absolutely shut down the rush and we need that against Dumervil, Hali, etc. in the AFC West.

If he's too expensive...so be it, but at least throw it against the wall and see if it sticks.

bolt4life wrote: The signing of Long could fix this entire line. It would give the front office the ability to trade down in the draft and select G-Chance Warmack in the first round. We can then move back up, if that is even needed, and take RT-D.J Fluker. With the re-signing of Vasquez, that would give us Long, Vasquez, Dielman, Warmack, and Fluker...and the rest if the draft to deal with other issues. It also gives us the highest value based on many scout agency saying Warmack will be an all-pro. It also gives a nice mix of vets and rookies. It just seems to give us the most flexibility.

SoCalThrilla wrote: I get the logic but Long is going to want Top 5 OT $$$ and I'm honestly not sure if he's worth it coming off an injury and having a down year.  Don't get me wrong, he very well could be as I recall Leonard Davis being a bust in Arizona as a top 5 pick, but proving to have a few productive years in Dallas.  I just would feel better about drafting a franchise LT with less ??? marks than Long at a fraction of the cost and putting that $$$ towards a sure thing in Butler.

bolt4life wrote: The signing of Long could fix this entire line. It would give the front office the ability to trade down in the draft and select G-Chance Warmack in the first round. We can then move back up, if that is even needed, and take RT-D.J Fluker. With the re-signing of Vasquez, that would give us Long, Vasquez, Dielman, Warmack, and Fluker...and the rest if the draft to deal with other issues. It also gives us the highest value based on many scout agency saying Warmack will be an all-pro. It also gives a nice mix of vets and rookies. It just seems to give us the most flexibility.

bolt4life wrote:

SoCalThrilla wrote: I get the logic but Long is going to want Top 5 OT $$$ and I'm honestly not sure if he's worth it coming off an injury and having a down year.  Don't get me wrong, he very well could be as I recall Leonard Davis being a bust in Arizona as a top 5 pick, but proving to have a few productive years in Dallas.  I just would feel better about drafting a franchise LT with less ??? marks than Long at a fraction of the cost and putting that $$$ towards a sure thing in Butler.

bolt4life wrote: The signing of Long could fix this entire line. It would give the front office the ability to trade down in the draft and select G-Chance Warmack in the first round. We can then move back up, if that is even needed, and take RT-D.J Fluker. With the re-signing of Vasquez, that would give us Long, Vasquez, Dielman, Warmack, and Fluker...and the rest if the draft to deal with other issues. It also gives us the highest value based on many scout agency saying Warmack will be an all-pro. It also gives a nice mix of vets and rookies. It just seems to give us the most flexibility.

The current problem, where we are projected to draft 5-7, if Joeckel is not there, Lewan and Matthew are a HUGE risk and reach at this pick. More of a risk than Long in my mind.

Bambi19 wrote: With the injuries and change in blocking scheme, Long's play hasn't been the same the last 2 seasons, if it hadn't there is no way he would make it to the open market and it still isn't certain that he will. If you believe this report the Dolphins are still planning to bring him back despite all the rumors to the contrary.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/n...ve-endin/nTM2P/

Now if he does make it to the open market I think he will still get paid like an elite tackle even though his play of late certainly doesn't warrant it. To make a move on Long I would have to be confident that his injuries are not going to be a continual problem and that he would fit in our blocking scheme. If a team has that confidence they pay him and hope it works out, but I would not be so eager to pay Joe Thomas money to a guy who according to that article, Pro Football focus has ranked 47th out of 75 OTs. Ultimately if the Dolphins let him go I think some team will step up and pay him and I think that team will live to regret it. You pay a guy for his present ability level not what he used to be.

bolt4life wrote:

SoCalThrilla wrote: I get the logic but Long is going to want Top 5 OT $$$ and I'm honestly not sure if he's worth it coming off an injury and having a down year.  Don't get me wrong, he very well could be as I recall Leonard Davis being a bust in Arizona as a top 5 pick, but proving to have a few productive years in Dallas.  I just would feel better about drafting a franchise LT with less ??? marks than Long at a fraction of the cost and putting that $$$ towards a sure thing in Butler.

bolt4life wrote: The signing of Long could fix this entire line. It would give the front office the ability to trade down in the draft and select G-Chance Warmack in the first round. We can then move back up, if that is even needed, and take RT-D.J Fluker. With the re-signing of Vasquez, that would give us Long, Vasquez, Dielman, Warmack, and Fluker...and the rest if the draft to deal with other issues. It also gives us the highest value based on many scout agency saying Warmack will be an all-pro. It also gives a nice mix of vets and rookies. It just seems to give us the most flexibility.

The current problem, where we are projected to draft 5-7, if Joeckel is not there, Lewan and Matthew are a HUGE risk and reach at this pick. More of a risk than Long in my mind.

joser619 wrote: If Te'o is there then I agree, you have no choice but to take him due to him being a once in a lifetime player.

However if he's not there, then I want the Chargers to draft an OT in round 1, another OT in round 2, and an OG in round 3. Plus add at least another above average OT/OG in free agency.

That will send a HUGE message and a new commitment to protecting our biggest investment at QB.

Please make it happen AJ/new GM...

---------------------------------------------
--- SoCalThrilla wrote:

Then we take either Milner or Te'o and come back for O-line in Rounds 2 and 3.

bolt4life wrote:

SoCalThrilla wrote: I get the logic but Long is going to want Top 5 OT $$$ and I'm honestly not sure if he's worth it coming off an injury and having a down year.  Don't get me wrong, he very well could be as I recall Leonard Davis being a bust in Arizona as a top 5 pick, but proving to have a few productive years in Dallas.  I just would feel better about drafting a franchise LT with less ??? marks than Long at a fraction of the cost and putting that $$$ towards a sure thing in Butler.

bolt4life wrote: The signing of Long could fix this entire line. It would give the front office the ability to trade down in the draft and select G-Chance Warmack in the first round. We can then move back up, if that is even needed, and take RT-D.J Fluker. With the re-signing of Vasquez, that would give us Long, Vasquez, Dielman, Warmack, and Fluker...and the rest if the draft to deal with other issues. It also gives us the highest value based on many scout agency saying Warmack will be an all-pro. It also gives a nice mix of vets and rookies. It just seems to give us the most flexibility.

The current problem, where we are projected to draft 5-7, if Joeckel is not there, Lewan and Matthew are a HUGE risk and reach at this pick. More of a risk than Long in my mind.

---------------------------------------------

bolt4life wrote:

 

The current problem, where we are projected to draft 5-7, if Joeckel is not there, Lewan and Matthew are a HUGE risk and reach at this pick. More of a risk than Long in my mind.