Multiple media outlets are reporting today that Jason Taylor will be returning to the Miami Dolphins on a one-year deal, apparently for the discounted price of $1.1 million. Incentives could bring the deal to as much as $1.5 million. He had been set to make $ 8 million from the Redskins before pretty much forcing his way out of Washington by refusing to accept new terms.

Well this kind of sucks, even more so given the recent news that Tyrone McKenzie will miss the 2009-10 season with a torn right ACL, further depleting an already suspect LB corps. Seems the Pats are content to go with some combination of Pierre Woods, Shawn Crable, Vince Redd and Tully Banta-Cain to replace the production of recently-departed Mike Vrabel opposite Adalius Thomas on the outside. It's certainly a less attractive option that Taylor would have been, but there was never any guarantee that Taylor could have been successful in the Pats' 3-4 anyway. The 35-year-old's been on the decline for the past two years, and as a defensive end for his entire career, the transition to OLB could have been trickier than expected. Then again, maybe I'm just trying to convince myself it's not such a big deal the Pats missed out on Taylor. Either way, it's disappointing news to hear he'll be coming back to the division with a team that has a decent shot to challenge the Pats for the top spot.