Hey, if Jason Taylor and Bill Parcells want to play a childish game of “I’m taking my ball and going home”, then I can title a thread with some childish limerick. So where, oh where will it be?
The million dollar question. What will this outcome hold and who will be the team that JT plays for next year, or will he retire to a life of Hollywood auditions? It was only a few weeks ago that the Miami Dolphins stud DE was lunching with Academy Award winner Denzel Washington. Jason turned down a trip cross town to meet Al Pacino to return to his dance training. Hollywood is calling.
Of course so is the NFL and a yearly salary of around 6-8 million. Money however is nothing to Taylor. What is though is winning. In Miami, he won’t get it during his last 2 years as a player. Elsewhere, he may have a shot. At the very least an opportunity to return to the playoffs. What JT will not get in Hollywood is a trophy. Let’s face it, the chances of JT standing at an Oscar Awards show giving out an acceptance speech is about as likely as the Dolphins going undefeated. This year. In other words, if JT wants something to sit on his mantle, or his finger, it will be playing football.
So where will he end up? There are a few teams that strike an immediate thought on that subject. The problem however is none of those teams truly need him.
Philadelphia Eagles – The Eagles will be mentioned from time to time because they have one Lito Sheppard. So long as Sheppard is wearing the green and gray and JT is a Dolphin, the rumors will fly. Some have speculated already…right Drew? Drew Rosenhaus mentioned last week he would not be surprised to see it happen. The Eagles are one of the few teams that could still use a solid pass rushing OLB who can also play DE. They are close and pose an opportunity for JT to get back into the playoffs. In one of the toughest divisions in the NFL, the challenge could be appealing to JT.
Likely to happen? On a scale of 1-10, a 5. Lito is still young, but he wants to get paid and although Miami would save some dough with JT gone, the fact is that the Dolphins have made no off-season effort to replace their CB’s which means they are operating on a plan already in place.
Green Bay Packers – The Packers will be without their star now that Brett Favre has gone bye-bye. Bringing JT into the mix could make Brett want to come out of retirement, something that the Packers executives seem to be hesitant about. GB could use a JT and in their defensive scheme JT could flourish with a very strong supporting cast. However, aside from draft picks, the Packers don’t have much they would be willing to part with of value for Bill Parcells. Draft picks will be problematic for any team as there is no guarantee that JT won’t up and retire after one more year.
Likely to happen? 1-10, a 3. This is not a marriage made in heaven for either JT or the Packers. Had Favre still been active, that might have changed with the encouragement the team would get from Favre. GB won’t part with draft picks because they would want a longer investment.
Dallas Cowboys – Dallas will get a lot of air time on the networks when the rumors start to fly. Why? The Bill Parcells/Jerry Jones connection and of course the Jason Taylor/Zach Thomas connection. The problem is that Dallas does not need Jason Taylor. Taylor is still better than anything on the roster right now, but the fact is that the guys on their roster right now are better than average. Dallas will not likely part with a draft pick for Taylor, but realize this, Jerry Jones will at some point make a call. Jones likes play-makers and JT is exactly that. With Roy Williams and Bobby Carpenter on the question mark platform in Big “D”, the Dolphins could swing a deal where no draft picks are involved.
Likely to happen? 5. Hard to say what Jones would do. The problem is that Parcells wants value for JT and he is not necessarily going to do him any favors by sending him to a team that would make a serious push to the Super Bowl next season. The compensation would have to be very good for Parcells to give JT something that he wants at this level.
San Diego Chargers – San Diego is a unique spot for JT. Proximity to Hollywood would be ideal for him. The problem is that SD like Dallas doesn’t need JT. JT would be an imposing force opposite Shaun Merriman, the questions regarding JT’s comments 2 years ago about Merriman and steroids would make for an instant water cooler conversation. The latest rumor has the Bolts already inquiring about Jason Taylor. Miami likely will not sell to the first bidder in any case. The Chargers have Vincent Jackson a solid WR prospect but would that be enough to entice the Phins to ship Taylor out and would the Chargers look at more to add him?
Likely to happen? 4. The Chargers AJ Smith is as frugal as they come. Last year he sent a 2nd round pick to the Phins for Chris Chambers, that does not mean they will do it again this year for JT. It’s hard to imagine that the Bolts have serious interest or just doing the good old fashioned due diligence on the matter. San Diego is a perfect fit for JT in more ways than one and if there is something that JT should have learned a long time ago is that nothing in the NFL is perfect…right Tom?
Miami Dolphins – Could all of this lead to the Dolphins and Jason coming to some peace later this year and both parties zipping their lips and checking their egos? No. Jason doesn’t want to come to Miami and be a Dolphin. He loves the Dolphins, the city, and the fans, but what he doesn’t want is a 7 year without a playoff birth. What he doesn’t want is a rebuild and that is what is going on right now. Jason has played his last game for Miami. He knows it, Tony Sparano knows it, and Bill Parcells knows it. The top egos will cause this to end before either shake hands.
Likely to happen? 1. I only say one because in reality you can never say never.
Hollywood – The only real landing spot is Hollywood. While studios won’t offer JT the kind of money he is making in the NFL, they can offer something that the NFL can not. Face time. The problem is no one knows the level of JT’s acting ability. He is too manly for a romantic role, lacks the depth in his voice, for now, to carry an action film, so that leaves secondary roles as bodyguards, heavy weights, and well, football players. That could all change down the road, but everyone starts at the bottom in Hollywood and Tinsel Town is not as forgiving as the playing field. Have a bad season in the motion picture industry and you may not get a second one.
Likely to happen? 8. Parcells wants his compensation, and chances are he is not going to back off a 1st or 2nd rounder unless he can somehow get more out of a player for player deal. BP doesn’t do anyone any favors and he is not going to let Wayne Huizenga influence his plans either. The only real option for now, for JT, is retirement. While most believe that he will be traded before it comes to that, the reality is that once again, egos will dictate the politics of the next month or two, or 3. If JT doesn’t find a new home in the NFL, he will find one in California looking for face time.