NFL’s Man of the Year likely elsewhere in 2008

By Joe Mayes  |   Wednesday, February 06, 2008  |  Comments( 26 )

Miami Dolphins
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Miami's Jason Taylor was named the 2007 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year just before kickoff of Super Bowl XLII in Arizona. He beat out the other finalists Hines Ward (Steelers), Brian Waters (Chiefs) and Jason Witten (Cowboys). Taylor won this award just one year after being named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2006.

Too bad it probably won't be enough to keep him in Miami in 2008.

For every Michael Vick or Adam Jones, there are many more men on NFL teams who live their lives as role models. Taylor has certainly been one of these exemplary citizens during his years in Miami, establishing the Jason Taylor Foundation and the Jason Taylor Children's Learning Center among his other charitable endeavors.

But the reality is that the NFL is a business first, and the primary focus of the Dolphins' leadership will be on putting the most competitive team possible on the field and in that regard, moving Jason Taylor will be addition by subtraction.

In the Dolphins' base 4-3 defense in 2007, Taylor had 11 sacks and 56 total tackles. But while a 260-pound defensive end can attack the edge with his speed in the 4-3, the 3-4 defensive end is called on far more to occupy blockers than to drop into coverage and attack the quarterback.

Taylor still has enough speed to drop from the 3-4 defensive end position into coverage on zone blitzes. But the fact that he's a very light NFL end whose strength is rushing the edge and dropping into coverage means that he's not likely to be a good fit in the 3-4 that defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni is likely to install in Miami.

While it's possible Taylor could make the shift to outside linebacker, at 34 years old (on Sept. 1), it's far more likely that his days in Miami are numbered.

The fact that Taylor is a high-character guy will hold little weight when personnel decisions are made this spring. In fact, his character, his performance on the field, and the fact that he's signed through 2009 all make him an extremely attractive trade option for a 4-3 team in need of veteran leadership and outstanding play.

From Miami's perspective, dumping Taylor will free up only about $4 million in cap room ($10 million if he stays versus $6 million if he goes). But cap space is not the real value created by trading Taylor. The Dolphins will have plenty of room under this year's estimated $116 million cap (approximately $35 million). Therefore, they can seek out free agents who fit their system the way Taylor does not.

The real value in trading Taylor will be draft picks, still the quickest way to rebuild a franchise for the long haul (just ask Dan Snyder about building through free agency). While not likely to get a No. 1 pick for Taylor, it is very possible to get multiple second-rounders and even more thirds or lower for him. With general manager Jeff Ireland's eye for talent, the likelihood of getting quality players later in the draft is very good and these low-round choices cost far less to sign, leaving plenty of room under the cap for the future.

The sad thing for casual Dolphins fans is that a wonderful man will likely be gone before the team puts on the pads again. Hardcore football fans know, however, that trading Taylor to stockpile draft picks upon which to build the future is the right thing to do.

And the overall character of whichever team trades for Taylor will certainly improve.
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About Joe Mayes

Joe Mayes is an award-winning writer with credits ranging from national sports columns to local newspapers and commercial and technical writing. Joe is the host of "The Morning Wrap," a morning drive-time sports talk radio show on WTKE-FM in Northwest Florida.
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CommentsComments: 26  |  Sign Up  View all comments
No.1
Matt		09:48 AM
02/06/2008
I must be confused. Wasn't Jason Taylor the NFL's defensive MVP in Capers' 3-4 the year before last?? Whats he talking about?
No.2
Shaggy		09:58 AM
02/06/2008
Wrong!! Parcells like veterans and The giants showed the blueprint for beating the pats. A strong D line. Just dump the drunk...
No.3
The Boz		10:11 AM
02/06/2008
The Giants kept Strahan and look at the results. We should never let Taylor go, he is the greatest defensive player I have seen...
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