This isn't to say Long sucked. He was a very good player.
But you don't take him over MATT RYAN.
They kind of referenced that philosophy on Thursday. The philosophy where you pass up a quarterback to build up your line first. Which is what they did in 2008.
That said, no NFL team spent more high value resources on quarterbacks between 2004 and 2012.
2004 - 2nd rounder traded for A.J. Feeley
2006 - 2nd rounder traded for Dante Culpepper
2007 - 2nd round selection - John Beck
2008 - 2nd round selection - Chad Henne
2009 - 2nd round selection - Pat White
2012 - 1st round selection - Ryan Tannehill
Couple that with running back between 2001 and 2007:
2001 - 3rd round selection - Travis Minor
2002 - 1st rounder traded for Ricky Williams
2003 - 1st rounder traded for Ricky Williams
2005 - 1st round selection - Ronnie Brown
2005 - 3rd rounder traded for Lamar Gordon
2007 - 3rd round selection - Lorenzo Booker
This completed hollowed out the franchise.