Miami Dolphins Quarterback Unit Preview

How far will Ryan Tannehill take the Miami Dolphins is a question that holds the key to the 2015 season. Steadily improving each of his first three seasons, Tannehill enters a critical fourth year with new weapons better suited to his ability and a new contract that pays him like a playoff quarterback.

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Tannehill has more weapons this season than any of his previous years with the club. Mike Wallace who could have been a valuable asset became a liability that cost the team on and off the field. Wallace’s need for the ball hindered Tannehill in the sense that he was limited to when he could or should throw to other receivers. Eventually the wide-receiver and quarterback simply didn’t fit. Tannehill couldn’t hit the deep ball and Wallace became frustrated with being more of a possession receiver. The end of that marriage was inevitable.

Without Wallace Ryan Tannehill can open his game and the teams offense a little more. Kenny Stills is the teams new deep threat but his speed pales in comparison to Wallace yet Stills’ lack of speed and his tendency to practice at full speed unlike Wallace should help the quarterback hit more of those passes. In addition, Stills will fight and adjust for the ball. It’s a good situation for both quarterback and receiver.

The additions of DeVante Parker and Greg Jennings will also help improve the offense. Jennings will help Tannehill in more ways than simply giving him a veteran target. Tannehill should be able to learn from Jennings without the need to “feed” Jennings the ball. Of course the return of Jarvis Landry for season two of his career will give Tannehill that go-to receiver that he can rely on.

The quarterbacks for the Dolphins will be the catalyst to the Dolphins success on offense as much as the addition of Ndamukong Suh will be on defense. There is no question that this is now Ryan Tannehill’s team and it’s time that he becomes the leader that many expected or hoped he would become. The turning point for the Dolphins may have come in that final game of 2014 when Tannehill finally had enough of Mike Wallace and made it known on the sidelines.

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With the back-up quarterbacks competing for a roster spot it’s almost assured that Matt Moore will once again back up the starter and Moore could provide a competent option for the season should Tannehill miss any significant time. Moore has never been a good practice player and his in game experience hasn’t given fans a reason to believe that he can lead the team should Tannehill go down but the Bill Lazor offense suits his abilities.

Moore can run the ball but needs to be far more consistent in his delivery of passes. Accuracy has been an issue but if we look at previous games he played in, Moore typically had to lead the team from behind often taking risks that most quarterbacks wouldn’t take. Settled in to a starter role in 2011 after the teams week four bye, Moore did very well in his first season with Miami taking over for an ineffective and injured Chad Henne. Yes, he has been here that long.

Moore threw for just under 2,500 yards and threw sixteen touchdowns in leading the Dolphins to a 6-6 record over the final 12 games. The 2011 team was poorly coached which led the firing mid-season of head coach Tony Sparano.

Beyond Moore it’s a quiet battle between McLeod Bethel-Thompson and former first round pick Josh Freeman. Neither have looked especially good thus far in the off-season workouts and both will have a hard time making the final 53 as the third quarterback as the Dolphins may once again go with two on the roster.

Regardless of the camp battles Ryan Tannehill is far and away the most important member of that offensive unit and how he progresses this year will go a long way to securing the Dolphins a playoff spot in January.

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