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Jason Taylor open to possible return to Dolphins

Apr 8, 7:27 pm EDT

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP)—A relaxed Jason Taylor sounded more amenable to returning to the Miami Dolphins on Wednesday as he took a short break from running his annual football camp for area kids.

Taylor, 34, was flattered to hear that current Dolphins like outside linebacker Joey Porter and quarterback Chad Pennington have expressed their support for him to step back into the aqua and orange uniform. While he has not specified nor ruled out any other teams as potential destinations, the thought of lining up on the opposite side of Porter in Miami’s 3-4 defensive scheme certainly appears to excite Taylor.

“It’s great that (Porter) wants me to come back and I know there are things we can do together,” said Taylor, who was released by the Washington Redskins in February after one injury-plagued season following his trade from Miami. “Us being on the opposite sides of each other can obviously work in the right situation, but that’s for neither one of us to say, really.”

Dolphins vice president of football operations Bill Parcells and general manager Jeff Ireland, along with head coach Tony Sparano, will be the ones to make the decision whether or not to pursue Taylor. Both parties have met and talked since Taylor’s release, but he wouldn’t go into detail on what was discussed.

Ireland did indicate last week during his pre-draft press conference that what course of action, if any, the team will take in regards to Taylor likely won’t happen until after the draft when he, Parcells and Sparano have a better idea how their roster is shaping up and what their remaining needs will be. How much room Miami has left under the salary cap also will be a factor, and while Taylor pointed to the $8.5 million he left on the table in Washington as an example of what little emphasis he puts on money, he also admitted he would not play for the league minimum.

“I don’t think I’m a minimum player,” he said. “There is a business side to this thing, too. You’re not just going to mortgage the farm to go play in a certain position. There is fair compensation. I did walk away from a lot of money, but at the same time you still should get paid for the services you provide, and the most important thing is to be in the system where you can contribute and feel like you did something and like you belong.”

Taylor spent his first 11 seasons in Miami as a defensive end and was named the 2006 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. To be able to finish his career with the team that gave him his start and in the city where his wife and children still live is something that has become increasingly important to him, but he is willing to wait it out.

“There are opportunities out there right now,” said Taylor, who told potential suitors back in late February and in early March that he’d like to get into camp as soon as possible. “There are teams I can call back and get some things working with, but right now we’re waiting to see what unfolds in the draft, and if somebody wants me they can call and we can talk. It’s as simple as that.”