Ireland and Philbin are birds of a different feather

[miamiron]

yeah 2-3 years we can be contenders, im still not writing off season after a loss to a surprisingly good team in the colts, and a loss to a bad team in the titans who maybe we overlooked in prep for buffalo on thursday nite. we need to replace 3 OL, long, cogs, and jerry....they are sparano guys. with the money we save MAYBE we can fill two of those spots in FA, and though not sexy maybe burn a draft pick in second on the third spot. im hoping we squeek into playoffs but realistically we're prolly looking at a 8-8ish season putting us into the 11-15 range. with colts and bears both winning our compensation for marsh and davis wont be overly good, but will still be two more pics in the top 90. i kinda feel bad for saying this, but if we cant get the FA help at oline, i would have no problem if we could draft two starters for oline in our top 5 pics. we have to keep the pressure off of tanne and be able to open up more holes in the running game elsewhise tanne isnt gonna have a chance to show whether or not he's our franchise qb. i think philbin can develop irelands talent it just has to be the kinda talent he needs, this past offseason we saw ireland draft players towards what philbin needs, another offseason who knows. fins up! lets keep heart

ACTUALLY IF YOU USE THIS YEARS NUMBERS

Long and Incognitos salary is $17,683,000

while EVERY offensive lineman (9 players) on the Atlanta Falcons
make a combined salary of $16,105,000

McClune $980k
Manley $170k
Hawley $660k
Johnson $700k
Holmes $523k
Konz $652K
Baker $3,760,000
Clabo $4,800,000
Blaylock $3,860,000

Look at the 49ers
Every single (8 players)offensive lineman on the roster
make a combined $15,970,217

Long AND Incognito MAKE $17,683,000

New Englands offensive line players combined make $14,510,760

Mankins $7,000,000
Connolly $2,333,333
Solder $1,941,021
Wendell $950k
Cannon $531,406
Aiken $465,000
Thomas $750,000
McDonald $540,000

8 players combined who still make 2 million LESS than Long and Incognito

Not only are they playing out of position in this "new" zone blocking scheme but
both are highly overpaid

As previously stated I would be surprised/shocked if Long,Cog,and Jerry return next year
neither are athletic enough for the zone blocking scheme implemented this season

What's even more alarming is next season
if you franchise Big Jake and add Incognito and his increased salary
you'd have 2 players making $20 million + in salary

[datruth55]

ACTUALLY IF YOU USE THIS YEARS NUMBERS

Long and Incognitos salary is $17,683,000

What's even more alarming is next season
if you franchise Big Jake and add Incognito and his increased salary
you'd have 2 players making $20 million + in salary

I can't see them tagging Long next year. Not the way he's playing.

As for getting rid of Long, Incognito and Jerry...Incognito and Jerry are under contract next year. We could release one of them but it's unlikely we release both simply because of depth (or lack of) on the O-line. You can't remake 3/5th of your O-line and expect to be successful the next season. There needs to be some continuity.

If I had to guess I would say you let the market set Long's price. If someone wants to sign him for $10+ million I think you let him walk...and I'd do the same with Sean Smith. If they both sign mega deals then you'll end up getting a 3rd round compensatory pick but neither of them are worth huge contracts. Smith doesn't seem to be fitting in with some of the coverages Coyle runs, he's fine in press man coverage, awful in zone. Long just seems to have been in decline for 3 years now...or whichever season it was that Sparano left him in the preseason and he got his knee hurt...it's been slowly going downhill since then. Can't see spending big money, long term, on a player that is heading downhill...too risky of an investment.

Free agency next year has some options at the OT position:

Ryan Clady (who I don't think will hit free agency)
Sebastian Vollmer (also don't think he hits free agency)
William Beatty (I'd be interested if the Giants let him test the market...Giants have almost as many key free agents as we do after the season)
Winston Justice (could be an option at RT if we opt to move Martin to LT)
Ryan Harris (he's now a backup in Houston but has 34 starts in his career)

With the exception of Clady, who I think is going to get paid big time, all these guys are cheaper options who would be a fit in the ZBS.