It's the big topic of the day. Jason Taylor could end his career somewhere else. It's what all the Fins blogs and sites are talking about! I suppose this is what happens when your team is 0-6, one of only two teams left at the bottom of the NFL shithole, and you've got yourself an aging, albeit studly (ed. note: right ladies?), defensive end one season removed from being named the Greatest Kicker of Ass in the Universe, and has had a brilliant career but is stuck in the wasteland you and I call the Miami Dolphins.
Gimme a second while I catch my breath after that sentence. ... ... ...
Ok.
Here's my take. Will Jason Taylor be traded? No. Should Jason Taylor be traded? No.
It's obvious now that the Dolphins are officially in re-building mode (ed. note: thanks for the memo Cam!). They just traded away their primary receiver for a second-round pick, they're going to give their first-round pick plenty of playing time the rest of the way, John Beck is a couple of weeks away and Trent Green has been put out to stud. So, in comes the talk of trading away our most valuable player on defense because he's old and someone might pay a high draft pick for him and we owe it to him to have him play for a contender.
Does JT deserve to play for a contender? Sure he does. A lot of great players do. Look at LaDainian Tomlinson. That guy definitely deserves a shot. But, unfortunatley for him, he's been Norved. So yea, lot of great, classy players deserve a shot. But that doesn't mean it should happen.
It would be hard to argue that Jason Taylor can still play at a high level. Hard to argue because this season he's playing football like an old man rushing to get to the early-bird special at the local deli (ed. note: I have no idea). But I believe he's just having a down-year. He's allowed that. I also believe he still has plenty of football left in him. Plenty. And I want him to be a Miami Dolphin for the rest of his career. Because he's a great player. And, in case you haven't noticed, we're kinda short on our supply of the Great Players.
Besides all that, unless we deal directly with Vikings GM Rick Spielman -- who will not only give us a 1st rounder and a 2nd rounder for JT, but he'll also throw in a life-time supply of Dos Equis for all Dolphins season ticket holders and free hookers for everyone -- we're just not going to get anything of great value for JT.
If we got a 2nd round pick for Chris Chambers, then JT is worth a first-rounder. And that's just not going to happen. Unless, again, we deal directly with Rick Spielman.
Of course, JT has already come out and denied that he said he wants to be traded. And all this crap stems from some article written by Peter King -- whom I loathe like King loathes green salads and water -- where King wrote in his snarky "oh look at me, I like to pretend that I know and have intimate friendships with NFL players!" style that JT told him he wants out of Miami. Peter King best watch himself. He's asking for a massive cock-punch from the greatest player alive.
Besides all that there's this: The Dolphins would take a $4 million 2008 cap hit if JT were traded during the offseason. And the team that trades for him would acquire the cap hit for his salary.
Jason Taylor is not going anywhere. Nor should he.
