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Jake Long: Offensive Line Answer For Atlanta Falcons?

By John Buhler

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According to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, free agent Offensive Tackle Jake Long is in Flowery Branch for a physical and a workout with the Atlanta Falcons.

Jake Long was the first overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft over Atlanta’s franchise QB Matt Ryan who fell to the Dirty Birds at three.  Long has had a successful but albeit injury riddled career between the Miami Dolphins and the St. Louis Rams.

-= Gosder Cherilus: A Fit With The Falcons? =-

Given that he is coming of his 2nd ACL surgery, I doubt that Long will command the amount of money he earned in Miami (5-year, $57.75 Million) or St. Louis (4-year, $36 Million).  Does it make sense for the Atlanta Falcons to pursue Jake Long before Training Camp starts on Friday?

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    • Jake is a 4x Pro Bowler (2008-11) and earned a All-Pro nod in 2010 while playing for the Miami Dolphins.  Long started 96 games at left tackle between the Rams and Dolphins the last seven years.  But Jake Long has had decreasingly productive years since 2011, including last year’s campaign with the Rams where he only played 7 games before an ACL tear.

    I feel that Jake Long needs to find an NFL team here shortly or he could end up out of the league only after seven seasons.  You usually want 8-10 seasons out of a franchise left tackle, especially if selected in the Top 10.  Though has had a productive career thus far, it seems that injuries are taking a toll of the former Michigan Wolverine.

    That being said at the right price, I think Atlanta Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff could use Jake Long’s services this season in helping bolster an underwhelming offensive line.  I could see Long and Jake Matthews teaming up together to provide great production for Matt Ryan on the outside at both tackle positions.  Two Jakes are better than one, am I wrong?

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    If signed by Atlanta, I hope that Jake Long is open to cross-training to play either tackle spot even though he has been solely a LT in his seven-year career.  Not that he needs one given who his dad is, but Jake Matthews could seriously benefit from having another NFL mentor after a baptism by fire 2014 Rookie Season with the Atlanta Falcons.

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    What also is intriguing about Jake Long possibly playing for the Atlanta Falcons is that his new job would be to protect the man he went two spots ahead of in the first round: QB Matt Ryan.  This wouldn’t be the first time Jake Long played with a fellow 2008 First Rounder; he spent the last two seasons with DE Chris Long in St. Louis who went 2nd in that draft.

    If he clears medically with the Falcons training staff and Dimitroff can work up a team-friendly one or two-year deal with Jake Long, I don’t see why not giving Long a chance here in Flowery Branch.  I doubt he will ask for as much money as fellow free agent tackle Gosder Cherilus or free agent guard Evan Mathis.  Though I would prefer the Falcons spend their money on Mathis over Cherilus or Long, I’d be okay with a Jake Long signing prior to Training Camp coming on Friday.

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