Dolphins already talking contract with Long?

Here’s some interesting draft fodder – according to the Miami Herald, the Dolphins have already begun formal contract discussions with Michigan offensive tackle Jake Long.

The Dolphins would like to have a contract in place with their first pick before the draft on April 26, which would allow them to avoid a potentially ugly holdout like the one that took place in Oakland last year upon the Raiders’ selection of quarterback JaMarcus Russell.

Miami is still intrigued by Virginia defensive end Chris Long, but no in-person talks between Chris Long’s agent and Miami are believed to have taken place to date. However, the Dolphins are believed to be happy with quarterback John Beck, and they are not considering Ryan as an option with the first pick.

I had the Dolphins selecting Jake Long in my mock draft, so obviously I’m not shocked by these developments. But as Rotoworld.com pointed out, Miami could potentially crunch contract numbers with Chris Long and former OSU defensive end Vernon Gholston, too. One thing appears certain, however – BC quarterback Matt Ryan won’t be the Dolphins’ first pick.