By Matt Sohn
June 2, 2008

It may be summer in Miami, but there’s a cold war being waged between Jason Taylor and the Dolphins’ new regime. Things got off to a rocky start between the two entities when Taylor, fresh off an 11-sack, four-forced-fumble season, opted to accept an invitation to appear on the hit TV show “Dancing with the Stars” instead of participating in the team’s offseason training program.

Jason Taylor

“It’s ‘my way or the highway’ when it comes to Parcells,” said a team insider who has been a fixture at Dolphins camp since Parcells came aboard. “If you don’t subscribe to his methods, you’re in for a rough time.”

As if the relationship weren’t strained enough, things got even worse when Taylor admitted on ESPN that down the road, he’d rather be recognized for the acting career he’s trying to launch than the football career that might earn him a bust in Canton, Ohio.

So the obvious question now becomes: Just where do things go from here? Those close to Taylor insist that he’s not considering retirement yet, and his Pro Bowl season in ’07 is testament to the fact that he still has quality play left in the tank (at least 1-2 more years). But he desperately wants out of Miami and longs to play out the remainder of his career on a winner where he can contend for a Super Bowl. Although Parcells is open to trading him, that's easier said than done.

Despite reports that teams such as the Eagles, Saints and Buccaneers have engaged in trade talks with the Dolphins, we hear that teams running a base 4-3 defense ultimately will not be willing to make a suitable offer. Taylor may be listed as a defensive end on the Dolphins' official roster, but in reality he's more of an outside linebacker who's best-served playing in a 3-4. Such was the case in 2006 when he won NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors. A porous run defense forced Miami to play Taylor as a traditional D-end in '07, and Taylor was a liability against the run throughout the season. He certainly could be a nickel pass rusher in a 4-3, but the idea that he could be an effective, every-down lineman at this point in his career is unrealistic — especially considering his weight has plummeted to around 245 pounds after his dancing days.

This is why the team's probing for a willing trade partner in the months leading up to the draft turned out to be a futile effort. Although he remains a dominant pass rusher, most teams are simply unwilling to give up a second-rounder for an aging pass-rushing specialist. If the Dolphins expect to unload him, they're going to need to lower their asking price. But, as the insider told us, “Parcells isn’t going to take a lowball offer for him.”

According to reports out of South Florida, coach Tony Sparano has recently met with Taylor, telling him that the club does value his contributions and would like to see him play in Miami this season. However, those comments are viewed as merely damage control in the event that a trade isn't able to be worked out.

After all, Parcells won't cut Taylor, as the Fins' new boss won't dump a disgruntled player who could still wind up being a valuable asset to the team. From the sources we've talked to, the question of whether or not Taylor will be in a Dolphins uniform in 2008 will come down to whether the team is offered a third- or fourth-round draft pick for him — the minimum it will accept. And if no such agreement is struck?

“I see Parcells and Jason kissing and making up,” the insider said.

In other words, if Taylor is still under contract with the club this summer, expect him to be present and accounted for in training camp, despite Sparano's recent comments that the club wasn't counting on him being there. But even if he is with the club through the start of the regular season, there remains a chance that Taylor will be dealt sometime before the in-season trade deadline to a team looking for an additional pass rusher. And so, the dance continues.