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At a time when a growing number of league insiders believe that defensive end Jason Taylor has no desire to continue to play for the Miami Dolphins, Taylor has declared that he intends to remain with the team.
“Look, I’m under contract with the Dolphins,” Taylor said Saturday on Sirius NFL Radio. “That’s where I want to be. It’s where I am, and I’m not retiring. . . . There’s been no agreement. Is it possible that something happens in the future? They can decide to do whatever they want. They’re in charge.”
Not long ago, Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports reported that the two sides were headed for an amicable divorce. Dolphins V.P. of football operations Bill Parcells then told ESPN’s Chris Mortensen that Taylor would play for the Fins or no one in 2008.
Of course, the Tuna also told Mort in December that the former Giants, Pats, Jets, and Cowboys coach would be taking a job with the Falcons, which was by all appearances a ploy to squeeze more cash out of the Fins. As a result, some league observers regarded Parcells’ most recent scoop to Mort as a device for building leverage in the event that someone wants to trade for the 2006 NFL defensive player of the year.
Taylor is under contract through 2009. He earned a $500,000 roster bonus on the fifth day of the 2008 league year, and he is due to pocket a base salary of $7.5 million this season. Also, he gets another $500,000 roster bonus on the fifth day of the 2009 league year, and a base salary of $8 million.
March 16th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
As a Miami fan, I would not be sad to see him go. His better days are behind him, and we need the picks more than we need him.
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March 16th, 2008 at 6:44 pm
Jason Taylor is one of the greatest players ever to dawn Dolphin colors. He is beloved by his fan base. But it is in the best interest of both the franchise and JT to move on (or move out ;]).
Miami is rebuilding and needs to do so through the draft. And Jason Taylor really deserves an opportunity to earn himself a ring on a legitimate contender.
If early rumors of a possible Dallas/Miami trade for the #1 overall selection contained any validity whatsoever, both sides should very well head for the negotiation table and ponder something in the likes of Dallas’ #22 overall, 28th overall, 124th in the fourth, 156th in the 5th, Chris Canty (DE) and Bobby Carpenter (LB) for Jason Taylor and the the first selection in the 2008 draft (presumably Darren McFadden). Such an exchange would do wonders for both sides.
The Cowboys would reunite brothers in law Zach Thomas and Jason Taylor which could be argued as one of the most special defensive tandems of all time while fielding what perhaps may be the most talented backifield in the NFL: Marion “I’ll run you over” Barber with Darren “I’ll run right by you” McFadden. Already set at quaterback and wide reciever, Dallas would still posses their 2nd and 3rd round selections which they could employ to solidify their weakest unit on the team, the secondary.
The Miami Dolphins would posses a bundle of selections in the draft, crucial to any foundation of any franchise in dire need of rejuvination.
On another note, Jason Cole was once seen giving a celebratory high-five to Armando Salguero after a Dolphin’s loss during the Wannstache regime. His agenda with the jason Taylor report was quite clear and not surprising to any Miami fan in the know. Cole, no soup for you! Next in line.
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