Dolphins agree to deal with Jake Long

The Miami Dolphins, who have the first pick in the draft, have reached a contract agreement with Michigan offensive tackle Jack Long.

The Dolphins will select Jake Long with the Number 1 overall pick in the draft. Even though the Dolphins had originally planned to select Ohio State defensive end Vernon Gholston or Virginia defensive end Chris Long, since they opened negotiations with Jake Long, they are talking to him exclusively.

Long who moved to left tackle in 2006 and started his final 26 games, was an All-America selection and Big Ten lineman of the year in each of his last 2 seasons. Offensive line is considered the biggest need for the Dolphins, who went 1-15 last year. However, Dolphins Vice President of Football Operations, Bill Parcells, has been reluctant to use high picks on offensive linemen in the past.

The decision to focus on Long occurred largely as a result of in-depth research into the risk involved when selecting a tackle during the first round. The team's findings during that breakdown of past tackles have led them toward feeling more comfortable about the prospect of selecting Long over such prospects as defensive ends Chris Long and Vernon Gholston.

Long will fill a major void for a team burdened by a shaky offensive line throughout its 6 year playoff drought. The Dolphins have 2 starting spots open on the line, including one of the tackles. Ideally, Long would play on the left side, allowing Vernon Carey, the 19th overall pick in 2004, to move back to right tackle, where he played during his first 3 seasons with Miami.

After two weeks of negotiations centered solely around Long, agent Tom Condon and the Dolphins reached a deal that will avoid what could have been a potentially messy holdout had the negotiations lasted beyond Saturday's draft.

Long's deal is a 5 year, $57.5 million deal that includes $30 million in guaranteed money according to NFL Network's bottom line ticker. That's more per year tha
JaMarcus Russell got, but is less in guaranteed money. This was most likely the concession that the Dolphins had to make in order to get Jake signed to a deal that was worth less in total value tha
Russell's was to give him one less year, allowing him to hit free agency a year earlier. Joe Thomas signed a 5 year, $42 million deal with Cleveland last season, including $23 million in guaranteed money. This is quite an increase over Thomas' deal, but he was the 3rd pick, not the first. nnnn