Getty Ryan Tannehill #17 of the Miami Dolphins reacts to being sacked by Shaq Lawson #90 of the Buffalo Bills.
The Miami Dolphins are running out of options at quarterback. The Saints signed Teddy Bridgewater after he declined the Dolphins’ 2-year, $10 million deal late Tuesday. Wednesday morning, top target and former Cleveland Brown Tyrod Taylor agreed to a 2-year deal to back up Chargers quarterback Phillip Rivers.
These developments combine with numerous reports and rumors relaying that Miami is set to release current starter Ryan Tannehill. Safid Deen of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel said as much during his Bridgewater update on Tuesday night.
Miami is expected to release seven-year veteran Ryan Tannehill this offseason. The Dolphins will likely release Tannehill with a June 1 designation in order to save $18.75 million in salary-cap space. If Miami releases him earlier, it would save $13.1 million.
Since arriving in South Beach in 2012, Tannehill has never won more than 8 games in a season, sporting just a 42-46 record overall. He’s thrown for over 20,000 career yards, 123 touchdowns and 75 interceptions.
After former head coach Adam Gase was fired after last season, ESPN’s Adam Schefter further reported that Tannehill wouldn’t be back either.
Injuries have sidelined him for the last 3 seasons, including in Miami’s last playoff appearance in 2016. With new Dolphins head coach Brian Flores, the former Patriots defensive coordinator, the organization seems to be looking in a different, healthier and fresher direction for its next signal-caller.
Let’s take a look at the latest rumors surrounding Tannehill and the Miami quarterback situation, as well as free agents to suit up in the green and orange.
Latest Rumors on Ryan Tannehill Replacements and Destinations
Deen suggested that Miami should pick up freshly-released Jacksonville quarterback Blake Bortles, who was recently supplanted by the newly-signed Nick Foles.
With former Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles agreeing Monday to a reported four-year deal worth $88 million (with $50.125 million guaranteed) with the Jacksonville Jaguars, former Jaguars starter Blake Bortles could also be an option for Miami when he is eventually released.
Mike Florio of NBC Sports acknowledge the Bortles possibility but laid out a few more names.
So now what will the Dolphins do? Ryan Fitzpatrick is available, as is Trevor Siemian. Blake Bortles soon will be on the market. Josh McCown is also on the market, but he has made it clear that he plans to wait before making his next move.
Another option is addressing the situation in this April’s NFL Draft. The Dolphins have the No. 13 overall pick in the first round, as well as at least 1 pick in each of the 7 rounds.
The top quarterback prospects are Heisman finalists in Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray and Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins. CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco projects them both in the top-10 in his most recent mock draft.
Miami could also decide to draft Missouri’s Drew Lock or Duke’s Daniel Jones in the first round, while West Virginia’s Will Grier is a possible option in the second day of the draft. Lock is currently projected at No. 10 to the Broncos by Prisco, and Jones would go No. 15 to the Redskins.
Miami could combine these options by signing a holdover option like Bortles or ?McCown, and wait for Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa, Oregon’s Justin Herbert and Georgia’s Jake Fromm next year.
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