This Saturday, with the first pick of the 2008 NFL draft, the Miami Dolphins will select former Michigan offensive tackle Jake Long. Yesterday ESPN reported that the Dolphins have already signed Long to a five-year, nearly $58 million deal, making him the highest paid OT in the NFL before he’s ever played a down of pro ball.
Long is a gifted tackle, capable of blocking effectively on both sides of the line, but will likely be employed primarily as a pass blocker on the left. The drafting of Long addresses a pressing need for Miami, but this is a team that finished 2007 with a 1-15 record — the squad is full of pressing needs.
The real question is whether Long was the right choice for a team with an anemic offense (16.7 pts / game in 2007) and a defense ranked 30th in the league. DT Glenn Dorsey or versatile DE Chris Long would have helped to shore up a defensive line that still shows cleat marks from being run around, through, and over last year. Miami allowed a ridiculous 153.5 rushing yards / game in ‘07 — a figure that must be improved upon if they are to move forward this season.
Miami may have other plans for dealing with their defensive liabilities, but their decision is still questionable. In blue-chip prospect Matt Ryan the Dolphins passed up a probable franchise quarterback. Even with improved protection from his line, and despite having a solid if unspectacular (unless Ted Ginn Jr. explodes this year) core of receivers to throw to, current QB John Beck doesn’t seem poised to amount to much more than a serviceable backup. Given the indignities this franchise has suffered on and off the field in the past few years, they are in dire need of rebuilding from the ground up. Ryan would have been an ideal place to start.
Still, it won’t take much for the Dolphins to improve on last year. If Long makes the instant impact that the Dolphins and new EVP of Football Ops Bill Parcells hope he will — and if Ronnie Brown manages to stay healthy — the Dolphins could see a big jump in offensive production. If they fail to adequately address their defensive liabilities, it won’t make much of a difference.
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