Jake Long to require shoulder surgery

While much of the injury news coming from the Dolphins on Monday was positive -- Chad Pennington out for the season notwithstanding -- very little was actually said about offensive tackle Jake Long's dislocated shoulder.

Several reports say he will play against the Bears Thursday night, and that is indeed quite possible. Everyone knows Long is a tough guy. But coach Tony Sparano was coy about giving specific information on the topic and didn't actually say Long would be in the lineup against the Chicago Bears.

“You got no shot. I know what you’re trying to do," Sparano said when asked whether Long could play, basically, with one arm. "I mean Jake’s a pretty tough guy; we’ll see where we go."

Where it is going is that Long's injury is serious. Make no mistake.

He will require surgery -- sooner or later -- because his shoulder will not heal 100 percent without it, according to a source. After the surgery, which is an arthroscopic procedure, Long will require 3-6 weeks of healing and another 3-6 weeks of rehabilitation to regain full strength.

My source declined to say exactly what the surgery would address. But I believe I can provide a clue. ESPN reported last night that Long "suffered damage to his labrum" when he dislocated his shoulder against Tennessee Sunday.

Long is hoping to hold off the surgery for later, with later being defined as after the season. But there is also a possibility Long might try to play with his injury and need to shut things down based on the fact, once again, he cannot be completely healthy without surgical correction.

Long is expected to try to make it through Miami's final seven games. He wants to give it a try even though it will put him at a disadvantage even if he wears a harness. But none of that guarantees he will be absolutely available for all those games.

Comments

[wolfman1313]

TNFINFAN - I agree that he certainly can do some things that Henne can't....but c'mon, he was 4-6 in 1 quarter of play. Yeah, he had a couple nice passes in there....he also almost had an Int on the 1st pass which was way too high for Devonne Bess. I don't know that you can extrapolate out from 6 total passes.

I thought Henne actually looked pretty good in that game once he got going. Remember, he was 8 for 8 on one drive.

[FAJ]

I think Weslye Saunders is the best TE in the country. We won't touch him because he was let go from South Carolina this year (like Dez Bryant from Oklahoma last year) and we will probably ask him if he can spell the word "pimp" and then not draft him because he can spell it (which means he knows what it is) or because he can't spell it (which means he is either too dumb or playing stupid)...

I think he is a Vernon Davis type TE. I would love to see him on our team but like I said - he can't pass the "pimp test..."

[wolfman1313]

FAJ - I don't think anyone touches Saunders. At best a last round pick but more likely an undrafted rookie pick up for someone.

[Darryl Dunphy]

I thought there was 2 possiblities with Brown this season. I was hoping that he would have a huge year that would benifit our team in two ways. His production, and his value. Being this was his contract year we gambled that he would have a huge year, and this would inflate his value. Well either of these things has happened. Now, we will be lucky to get anything in return, and may have to resign him for less then he will think he is worth. This offseason I thought if we could get a 4th or 5th rounder before the draft, it would have been a fair deal. I was called a moron, loser, fraud, hick redneck sheepifier, spy, and worse jet fan. I laughed when some thought we deserved 2nd or even first round compinsation for Brown. The gamble may still pay off, and Brown may have a big second half. But I'll say the same thing I did back in March. A running back coming off injury, on the wrong side of twenty five is just not that valuable

[turd ferguson]

I believe Patrick Cobbs is the most valuable RB Miami has. Don't know what took so long to utilize him because Sparano love him.

[SoiledBottom]

Dear Mr. Salguero

Did the Dolphins make a mistake not going after Micheal Vick when they had the chance ?

From a promotional point of view I think Mr. Ross screwed the pooch on this one.

Imagine every time Micheal Vick scored a TD we could have shot a puppy out of a canon while playing Donnie Osmonds "Puppy love" or Show that scene in "Old Yeller" where Micheal Vick shoots Old Yeller because he lost to the wolf.

Of course my dogs Bosco and buddy wouldn't follow the Phins anymore and I wouldn't blame them

Soiled :)

[greg z.]

thigpen is not a 3rd string qb in the nfl. he is young 26,henne is 25. it has been reported that thigpen could be our future;we dont know yet. the dolphins received several inquirys which we turned down. in training camp he was the best qb;he did it all without 1st team reps. and this is the first day he will get 1st team reps in practice. thigpen,if he stays healthy,has a future in the nfl as a starter with us or a new suitor. he isnt a secret around the league. execs know who he is. he just needs work;an opportunity to play. i just hope and pray the regime doesnt try to program him as a game manager. he's too good for that,too much potential down the road. he's still learning.

[FAJ]

I had heard a 4th round possible pick now. I have read some of the NCAA report that is online on the USC (South Carolina) probe. Pretty week crap. 7 players got meals - the most was for a total of $79.78.

It is not like he threatened to end a woman's life, beat up a woman and throw her down stairs, sold drugs, used drugs before games, stolen property, had a DUI, caused an accident, asked for cash, cheated on tests/papers. (all real infractions of current NCAA players) - I think he is being vilified too much. Just my thoughts though. It definitely cost him a ton!

[wolfman1313]

ALoco - My predictions...

@ Oakland W (Raiders don't have me convinced)

Cleveland L (Peyton Hillis will run all over us, but it will be close)

@ Jets W (no way the Phins get swept here and should've had them the first time)

Buffalo W (they'll play tough, but Phins win)

Detroit W (Lions don't win on the road)

@ NE L

[blindref]

watch for the backups to be outstanding thigpen will win this game. Henne was holding the team back, this is going to be one hell of a game for the fins. GO FINS

[FAJ]

We won't lose to Cleveland!

[wolfman1313]

blindref - hope you're right. Believe me, I will be the first one to eat crow if Thigpen plays out the rest of the season and looks like an elite HOF QB.

[greg z.]

sparano has said thigpen is playing without the benefit of practice reps during the season(this year and last year). henne and penne got all the practice reps so tyler is just starting to get reps. the way he plays who woulda thought??? and the players like him! hope we can get a good gameplan in just 3 days.

[FAJ]

Wow the players "like" Thigpen. Beyond that everyone on the team is saying nice, upbeat things about him. They are rallying around him.

What would you expect them to say? Dude is starting Thursday night and is one of the guys - would you expect anything less?

[student1776]

Long is one of our most valuable players. It makes no sense to convert him into a Pennington by having him play with an injured arm. Get the surgery, fix the arm. This is what we have backups for. We have not been running behind him anyway, only 3% of running plays go to his side. This season is pretty much done in anyway and it makes no sense to risk permanent impairment of our most dominant player (for position) in this circumstance.

[JamesBrownBear]

Tursday's game will be like a National Geograhic episode of Bears eating fish..hahaha love it!!

[wolfman1313]

greg z - we haven't been able to put a good offensive game plan in all year...not sure it's going to magically happen now in 3 days...make that 1 day left just because Thigpen is starting. I don't think it's so much the QB that's holding us down...it's the offensive game plan.

[redsky]

soiled, loved your vick comments to mando!

[Home]

Lucy I'm home!!!

[TNFINFAN]

Wolfman, you're right we haven't seen that much from Thiggy. And I'll be happy to eat any kind of bird, crow or vulture, if we can just find out who our next franchise quarterback is. I do think Henne is a quality player.

Here's another question. Am I wrong or did they finally, finally throw in some five-wide sets this last game that gave Henne more choices and that this helped him a lot. Maybe what everyone is saying -- that it's the OC -- is truly the problem. Is there any chance Henning stays on another year? I hope not.

[Rick]

I think Long should play if he is 90 percent but not if he is 85 or 75 or 65. Maybe 89 but not 87. Hmmm. 88 is a gray area.

[shoulder injury claim]

Because many of the most severe shoulder injuries result from the work environment, one of the main benefits of using a solicitor when claiming for shoulder injury compensation is that there is less chance for an unsavoury conflict when returning to work