How About Jake Long?
March 10th, 2015
Left tackle Jake Long, a former first round pick of the Dolphins, was cut last night by the Rams.
Yes, the Bucs need a left tackle, especially with the expected release of Anthony Collins.
The Bucs have been rumored to be linked to the courting of Packers tackle Bryan Bulaga, a monster who is injury prone.
That brings Joe to another tackle with a history of injuries, Jake Long. The left tackle only played seven games for the Rams last year before blowing out an ACL, an injury he has twice had surgery on. Per Rotoworld.com, Long has ended the past four seasons on injured reserve.
That stated, last year was the first time the former No. 1 pick of the Dolphins did not log double-digit starts.
Bulaga, who likely will command a $7 million/year salary, also has a history of injuries. Long could probably be had for a whole lot less.
But could one bank on Long finishing the season upright?
March 10th, 2015 at 5:15 am
There is no getting around it….shows the importance of building through the draft. Just to get through a year or two, perhaps but wouldn’t spend a great deal of money on him.
March 10th, 2015 at 5:52 am
“…the former No. 1 pick of the Dolphins…”
As in #1 pick by the Phins, just ahead of Matt Ryan. For those of you thinking we should trade down, or draft linemen, what do you think the Phins would like to do with this pick if they could have a do-over?
March 10th, 2015 at 6:18 am
we need to draft a lt in round two or move up late in round one to get a lt. A good lt and a good qb are almost impossible to get on the fa market.
March 10th, 2015 at 6:18 am
We’re in for another long year if this line doesn’t get some help soon.
March 10th, 2015 at 6:23 am
BUILD THROUGH THE DRAFT!! WE DON’T NEED THE FA CRAP ANYMORE!
March 10th, 2015 at 6:32 am
Gabe Carimi 2.0.
Get a real o-line coach and develop what you got (-Oneil Cousins)
March 10th, 2015 at 6:43 am
New sign outside One Buc Place:
“Bring us your wretched refuse…..”
March 10th, 2015 at 7:32 am
As A long time buc fan it’s sad to see us not improving and getting good players to come here. we waste money every year in free agency and win only 2- 4 games a year
March 10th, 2015 at 7:39 am
Why not? atleast we can focus on drafting a road grader first and hopefully a swing tacke as well. We get a beast at RG…with Long starting at LT…all the sudden we’re looking ALOT better.
March 10th, 2015 at 7:41 am
Concur, while the draft is the time honored way to build an OL, we will still need a FA to start at LT this season. No way you can plug in a rookie there and expect him to succeed.
March 10th, 2015 at 7:41 am
And enough with this moving John Coffee over to the left. He’s an above average RT and he’s 30. If its not broke…..dont fix it.
March 10th, 2015 at 7:43 am
This year’s free agent group seems pretty thin at the positions the Bucs have the greatest needs in (OL, MLB and DE). We might get lucky and pick up on starting tackle or guard, and maybe a rotational LB and/or DE, but we have no choice but to build through the draft at this point. The FA talent to meet our most critical needs just isn’t there, even though the money is.
March 10th, 2015 at 8:12 am
He needs to get off the fake grass which plays hell with lower body joints.
March 10th, 2015 at 8:26 am
Sign him! LT’s are scarce in free agency and draft this year. Not sure of Dotson move to LT, prefer he stays at RT but depends on finding LT…
March 10th, 2015 at 8:28 am
Long would be much cheaper than Baluga. Signing Baluga to a big contract and asking him to play LT, a position he hasn’t played in the pros or college, is asking for trouble. At least Long has experience at LT. The big problem with Long is his injury history and another ACL rehab. He probably won’t be 100% this year. Baluga has an injury history of his own. The Bucs could sign Long to a reasonable two year contract if his health checks out then draft a LT to groom.
March 10th, 2015 at 8:35 am
just say no to both Bulaga and Long.
The last thing the bucs need is more training room stars. The bucs already have their hospital crew in McCoy, Stocker (whose 3 year deal is a joke), Jenkins, ASJ and others. Time to get players who are durable. Even if they are a notch below I’d rather have durability then paying to watch a project backup 4 to 6 games a year because the star can’t get out of the tub.
March 10th, 2015 at 8:35 am
Hmmm. maybe – if the price is right. Signing Long to start for a year and drafting Cam Erving in 2nd round if he’s still available might be a good short and long term answer to the LT problem.
March 10th, 2015 at 8:55 am
jake long has finished the year on IR 4 years in a row…. no thanks.
March 10th, 2015 at 9:31 am
Get both of them and have them rotate series or quarters or halves or games. Draft some good ones that are raw and have them train them. Of course a new OL coach would do wonders.
March 10th, 2015 at 10:03 am
Bulaga isn’t really a LT, more RT or RG, so I wouldn’t mind if they signed both that way we’ve got both of the biggest holes taken care of…barring injury. LT Long, LG Mankins, C EDS, RG Bulaga, RT Dotson, could work with that for the next couple years at least. Draft some depth/upside and I’d be happy with that.
March 10th, 2015 at 10:07 am
Nobody said we have to sign him long term
March 10th, 2015 at 10:09 am
it’s time to trust in the draft and stop worrying about free agents because stars in this league come from everywhere and we don’t need has beens with blown acl tears at a critical spot of our offense…….the starting left tackle before this previous season was an undrafted free agent from Vikings practice squad and was on deck for the bucs for 7 years.
please tell me where are the contributing first round draft picks? there are two, mike evans, GMC and doug martin….all these years Dominick was in place we have 2 starting first round picks from his regime but everyone is complaining about lovie and licht lol, it’s time to invest a 1st round pick on a quarterback and we need a young left tackle to go along with him but honestly don’t know where it will come from if we get a quarterback on day one of the draft
March 10th, 2015 at 10:20 am
lol not enough to be a winner in this league, if you coming to a loser franchise the fans blame the winning head coach and say oh you only been to the superbowl once hahaha….every coach has been fired, the coach who was in the last two superbowls got fired and ran back to college and getting all the gm’s credit for draft picks as if pete carroll said yea give me Richard Sherman in the 5th round lol. so I guess carroll decided to go back to college then came back with some newfound ability to draft players. Richard Sherman had 4 int’s and 8 passes defensed as a rookie and now look at him, nobody was talking about the guy like this his rookie year meaning he had to develop but fans of sorry teams don’t give their players even one year to develop or even a winning head coach. really wish you fools would just go find another team to complain about. zero moves have been made, no games have been played, zero players signed or drafted this year but theres a hundred Nostradamus wanna be’s already having decided what kind of year we’re gonna have. go root for the cleveland
March 10th, 2015 at 10:36 am
I just love how you guys are freaking out before Free Agency even begins.
I’m pro Jake Long. Bring him in on a 2-3 year deal, no guarantees, with a small roster bonus. It’ll make one less position to fret over in the draft. Just make sure we can cut him next year without penalty if it doesn’t work out.
March 10th, 2015 at 10:38 am
His injuries would be the only reason to not sign him.
March 10th, 2015 at 10:39 am
100% agree Joe. Long would come very cheap. Sign him to a 2-3 year deal with little to no guaranteed money. Worse case scenario is he becomes depth. I would rather go after Joseph Barksdale (also from STL) to start at RT but wouldn’t be upset with Bulaga. We should sign 2, and draft 2-3. Our Oline has no depth. Same for the Dline.
March 10th, 2015 at 10:50 am
The way I look at it is this way…we have too many needs on oline to fix them all this year through the draft. Yes, we can draft a player for each spot needed, but the odds are already against each player working out to be a true quality starter.
And then you have to consider developmental time. Any drafted oline guys are unlikely to “get it” completely in year one. They’ll need 1-3 years to develop.
Therefore, it makes sense to bring in additional help, veteran help. It will provide that time and it adds to depth.
That said, overspending is not a great thing to do.
Of course, we’re talking about Jason Licht here…so we’ll see.
March 10th, 2015 at 10:58 am
again Donald penn was our starter for 7 years, was not drafted and signed as an undrafted free agent, of course you can find great undrafted lineman after the draft is over and he’s only one example…whats this notion that you HAVE to draft these guys when it’s much easier to find a diamond in the rough on the offensive line. plus you drafted two lineman last year who nobody knows what kind of player they will be based on one single year of their career. people are going overboard with it which is why if most of you here owned a team you would be in salary cap hell like the saints
March 10th, 2015 at 12:20 pm
Sign me up for Jake Long. I hope he got a phone call from the Bucs the instant he was released. A LT under 30 that was drafted 1st overall? That’s exactly what this team needs. He will definitely come cheaper than expected due to his injury list, but that should not deter the Bucs. The Bucs can expect him to start x-amount of games to start the season and give Jameis some very valuable experience without getting nailed to start his career and at the same time draft a rookie or let Pamphile develop behind Jake Long. Hell you never know maybe since the Bucs have one of the best medical staffs in the country they may just get close to a full season out of long. I don’t see where this could go wrong. Sign him to protect Jameis’ blind side and draft a rookie or let Pamphile develop behind him until they are ready.
March 10th, 2015 at 2:55 pm
I’m on board with Long. This o-line needs as much help as possible. Just keep throwing bodies at it until something starts clicking…
March 10th, 2015 at 8:22 pm
We have the dumbest fans in the history of sports. All of our free agent aqusisitions from last year that everyone is just demolishing Jason and Lovie for signing were highly coveted players by multiple teams. The same whinebags that were screaming “if we don’t sign him I’m gonna…” Are starting up again this year. I absolutely love that we haven’t signed anybody yet. Shows strong leadership. Don’t throw good money after bad. Just hold off and cherry pick some depth.