Parcells may take Jake Long No. 1, or he may be blowing smoke

[DaKCMan AP]

Parcells may take Jake Long No. 1, or he may be blowing smoke

Dave Hyde | Sports Columnist

Right to the end, Bill Parcells billows smoke, plays with minds and works this draft the only way it can be worked when you have the top pick in a year no one gets top billing.

Monday brought the latest trick, and maybe the last hope, as MSNBC.com was the first to report the Dolphins being "close" to finalizing a deal with offensive tackle Jake Long.

"Close?" What are we talking about here? Glenn Close? Chuck Close? Or the way Parcells was "close" a few months ago when he informed ESPN's Chris Mortensen how he was about to sign with the Atlanta Falcons as football czar?

That time, Parcells really was warning the Dolphins of his intentions if they didn't come running for him, which owner H. Wayne Huizenga immediately did.


This time, he's sending another message to someone out there. To anyone who will listen, really.

Maybe it's St. Louis, which holds the second pick and is believed to want Long. Maybe it's Glenn Dorsey or Vernon Gholston, if they'd lower their asking price.

Or maybe the Dolphins end up with Long. Maybe it plays out just like it's reported. Just like Parcells would have ended up in Atlanta if Huizenga hadn't picked up the phone and written a big check.

The draft is one of those great events in sports journalism when you can be paid like an expert and say you don't know what's going to happen. Even though no one knows what's going to happen. Especially the mouths who talk like they do.

A year ago, NFL people told draftniks quarterback Brady Quinn was a top-tier talent. He ended up going No. 22. That showed what NFL people really thought of him.

Parcells has two strengths: 1) He has the top pick. 2) He isn't tied to any position, considering the Dolphins' shelves are empty everywhere but running back.

So it's his job to manipulate the market in whatever way possible. It's not an easy job, as some of his bluster has shown. He's said he wouldn't trade Jason Taylor, which brought a lot of eye rolling, one source saying that same weekend the Dolphins were happy to listen to offers.

A big deal also was made of the Dolphins asking for more video from Boston College on quarterback Matt Ryan. But Ryan isn't riding into the draft with the appeal of a Manning. Then there was general manager Jeff Ireland's suggestion last week the Dolphins wanted a defensive player. Was he blushing for real? Was he acting his role? You know it's the silly season in sports when such issues become the talk of the town.

But playing draft poker is what Parcells has to do today. It's the only game he has to play. It's the one way he might be able to trade out of the pick, which in years like this is as much noose as hope.

Consider: Jason Taylor has earned about $65 million in his 11 years as a Dolphin. The top pick in Saturday's draft will sign a contract in that neighborhood.

Consider: For about $31 million in guaranteed money, the Dolphins this winter signed free agent guard Justin Smiley, linebacker Reggie Torbor, defensive tackles Randy Starks and Jason Ferguson, receiver Ernest Wilford and quarterback Josh McCown.

The top pick is expected to cost that much in guaranteed money, with no guarantee of success.

And don't you think every team understands that?

This is the real problem Parcells has. Everyone sees what he does. No one sees a clear-cut No. 1, which undercuts the value of his pick.

Every agent knows he's trying to cut the asking price, too. Come their time to pick Saturday, the Dolphins will be out of negotiating leverage. So the developing question is how close they go to that deadline before striking a deal with a player. Today? Early Saturday?

Sure, it's true, the Dolphins are traipsing down the negotiating path with Long. But the full truth is Parcells is trolling the waters in hopes of finding some better deal. There are four shopping days left. Nothing's settled quite yet.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/f...7165722.column

[Ultra Peanut]

David Hyde is reeruned.

[El Jefe]

Originally Posted by Ultra Peanut

David Hyde is reeruned.

QFT.