And with the #1 pick the Dolphins... don't pick!

[rick34125]

Just an interesting "outside of the box" look at the draft and the need to change the insane guaranteed money going to the top draft picks.

Here's hoping Parcells passes on the pick

Posted: March 21, 2008

New Dolphins football pooh-bah Bill Parcells has made one thing clear during his time with the team.

He is going to do things his own way.

Parcells signed a contract crafted to allow him to wrest Jeff Ireland away from the Cowboys by giving Ireland "final say" over the roster. On paper. But no one believes that Ireland will use that authority without first checking with the Tuna.

Parcells, per published reports, also offered the head coaching job to Tony Sparano before the football season of Sparano's previous employer, the Dallas Cowboys, had ended. And Parcells, per guard Justin Smiley's own words, had the former 49ers offensive lineman agreeing to terms just minutes after free agency opened, making it obvious to anyone with an ounce of common sense that the deal was hammered out at a time when Parcells' organization should have had zero contact with Smiley.

So if Parcells is willing to ignore the rules that are on the books, he'd surely be willing to cast aside an unwritten one: Thou shalt not intentionally fail to exercise a draft pick.

I mentioned the possibility that Parcells would pass on the pick during an appearance on a South Florida radio station recently, and the host later told me that the mere possibility of Parcells holding his card beyond the allotted 10 minutes (down from 15 in past years) sparked a spirited debate. Surely, if Parcells ultimately would choose not to choose, there would be a firestorm.

But it would be a legitimate maneuver. And it would be the best way, in our view, to spawn meaningful changes to a player-selection system aimed at helping the league's worst team get better, but, as a practical matter, a system that only compounds a floundering franchise's fate by forcing it to dump $35 million of guaranteed money into the pockets of the next David Carr, Ryan Leaf or Charles Rogers.

The controversy and curiosity arising from a team intentionally passing on its pick would alert more and more people to the problem. Hopefully, it would prompt the players to focus on the fact that kids who never have taken a snap in the NFL are getting obscene windfalls, and on the reality that the money instead could be devoted to the guys who have given years of sweat, blood and cartilage to the game. In turn, the players then would tell their union to do something about the situation.

All of this might not be as easy as it sounds. The Dolphins could stall and then watch as the Rams, Falcons or the Raiders take the player Parcells wanted. Moreover, and as Peter King of SI.com pointed out recently, the agent for the player ultimately drafted by the Dolphins could insist on getting the money he would have received as the No. 1 pick. But if Parcells opts to dig in his heels and the player decides he wants to play, the Fins' final offer eventually will be accepted.

The far better alternative for the Dolphins would be to scare up a trade partner, allowing Miami to move down to a lower spot, bag a blue-chipper at a far lower salary and snag a few extra draft picks. But with no clear-cut, can't-miss prospect in this year's pool of players, no one is going to want to give up multiple draft picks for the privilege of forking over that $35 million guaranteed to one of several players who could be worthy of the top pick.

That's another problem with the current system. Because of the money that now gets invested in the high-end picks, fewer and fewer franchises are willing to try to move up.

And that's another reason for someone to take a stand. That someone could be Parcells, who could take real action by opting for inaction when the time comes to file his first pick.

Here's hoping that the guy who hasn't been afraid to thumb his nose at convention will do so once more on draft day. It would help his current employer in the short term, and it would help the entire league over the long haul.

Mike Florio writes and edits ProFootballTalk.com and is a frequent contributor to Sporting News.

[NY JET 29]

What does that mean by him passing on the pick?

[NOExcusesNYJ]

great read rick....not out of the question

[NOExcusesNYJ]

What does that mean by him passing on the pick?

intentionally not selecting

[NY JET 29]

intentionally not selecting

Is that possible? What happens if you don't pick? Do you get a pick in the same round later on?

[Irish Jet]

Hmm, that would be very interesting.

Personally though, I think they'll take Chris Long.

[aec4]

What does that mean by him passing on the pick?

They let the 10 minutes expire, and do not pick. As soon as it expires, the 2nd selection is welcome to go. Miami can still go whenver they want, but if the 2nd pick picks first, then Miami loses out, and #3 can go, etc.

This happened a couple years ago with Minnesota and their 8th pick I believe....

[NOExcusesNYJ]

basically the rams would be on the clock and the fins would slide to 2. it happened a few years ago when baltimore passed on leftwich. in turn, jax moved up and grabbed him, baltimore slipped to the next slot and picked suggs

[Cmart28Coles87]

They skip the pick until their ready to make their pick. The Vikings did the same thing in 2003 I beleive.

[shutout]

basically the rams would be on the clock and the fins would slide to 2. it happened a few years ago when baltimore passed on leftwich. in turn, jax moved up and grabbed him, baltimore slipped to the next slot and picked suggs

It was actually Minnesota passing, then not only did the Jaquars jump and take Leftwich, but Carolina was able to select Jordan Gross before Minnesota finally picked Kevin Williams.

Interesting to note that even with that debacle,Williams turned out to be the best pick of the 3.

[SayNoToDMC]

Doesn't make any sense the agent/player is still going to demand #1 money because that was Miamis pick, Kevin Williams got #7 money that year. So they didn't save anything just picked 2 later.

[Stonehands]

Doesn't make any sense the agent/player is still going to demand #1 money because that was Miamis pick, Kevin Williams got #7 money that year. So they didn't save anything just picked 2 later.

I have seen this "theory" mulitple times...this poster gets it, though. You don't save anything and risk losing the player you want. There is no point to passing on a pick.