More Deception In Davie?
By Brian Miller
This is a quick hit on some of the rumors going around about the Dolphins possibly trading the number 1 pick, possibly even Jake Long. In fact, it almost seems to beg that point. With all the deception going on in the days leading up to the draft, could there possibly be any more deception in Davie? Maybe so.
The Miami Dolphins are reportedly NOT offering nor will be paying a signing bonus. The signing bonus has been an interesting issue in the NFL for years as some teams do and some teams won’t. At the top of the draft, most teams dole out the pennies as encouragement to get that player to sign a deal. Often times teams will threaten to pull that bonus out of the deal.
Instead, it appears that Miami is using a different approach by offering roster bonuses instead. On the surface many will say, “big deal” but it is not the same. A signing bonus holds the team that drafts that player to the amount of that bonus regardless of whether that player plays one down for the team. Again, “Big deal”. How many teams have done a sign and trade with a top draft pick? None. It doesn’t happen, and that is because of the signing bonus.
Miami is in a position to get Jake Long inked to a contract with no such bonus attatched. If they decide to trade him say to the Chiefs at number 5 when the players they want are gone, the Phins don’t have to eat the signing bonus and the Chiefs don’t have to pay one either. Instead, the Chiefs will be responsible for the roster bonus, since Long would not be on the Dolphins roster on that “date”, the Dolphins would owe him nothing.
This also could be an indication that perhaps the Dolphins have already had talks with another team about Long and maybe trade parameters are in place that would allow the teams to finalize the trade on draft day if and when Jake is under contract or agreeable to the contract on the table. Again, a possibility with no signing bonus or any other money on the table at that time.
Now, I could honestly be wrong on this in terms of the NFL rules, but it does in fact make sense. Especially if the plan is to get him signed, sealed, and then delivered to someone else!