Miami Dolphins Training Camp Preview: QB’s

The Miami Dolphins are less than a month away from the start of training camp. It begins July 30th at 8:00 am with weigh-in’s and hotel reporting on the 29th. It’s the proverbial light at then end of the tunnel for football fans. Miami isn’t the first team to start camp but this years camp will be it’s most important.

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The Dolphins have undergone a lot of changes this off-season. The wide-receiver group has been flipped and changed along the defensive line and cornerback groups should have huge impacts on the 2015 season. Below is a look at the schedule for the Dolphins training camp and after that, we dive right in to look at the competition that will unfold at quarterback.

Thursday, July 30 – 8am
Friday, July 31 – 8am
Saturday, August 1 – 8am
Sunday, August 2 – 8am

Tuesday, August 4 – 8am
Wednesday, August 5 – 8am
Thursday, August 6 – 8am
Friday, August 7 – 7pm – Ocean Bank Field at FIU Stadium (Annual Scrimmage) This scrimmage will not be held at Sun-Life due to renovations.

Sunday, August 9 – 3pm
Monday, August 10 – 12:30pm
Tuesday, August 11 – 8am

Saturday, August 15 – 1:15pm*
Sunday, August 16 – 8am
Monday, August 17 – 8am

Ryan Tannehill is entrenched as not only the teams starting quarterback but the teams first legit franchise quarterback possibility since Dan Marino. For the first time since Marino’s playing days, the Dolphins have invested long term in a quarterback. Tannehill will be the focal point on offense throughout training camp as fans, coaches, and media, dissect every play, every throw, and every decision. Rightly so.

Behind Tannehill is Matt Moore who enters the season yet again as the teams back-up. This is a move I am very happy about. Moore may not be the end all on the field but off the field he provides Tannehill the second set of eyes that all quarterbacks need and is someone both the organization and the team can depend on. While he may not be a starter his work with the 2nd team units will help get those players prepped and ready should they need to play, and they will.

Moore has become for the Dolphins what Earl Morrall and Don Strock meant to Bob Griese and what Strock and Scott Mitchell was for Dan Marino. A valuable back-up.  Moore isn’t in danger of losing his job but the Dolphins will still see a quarterback competition for the third quarterback position. The question is will the Dolphins keep three quarterbacks.

McLeod Bethel-Thompson spent part of the 2014 season on the practice squad as the Dolphins opted to only carry two QB’s on the roster. This year he is trying to show that he is worth carrying on the 53 man roster but that is going to be tough given the other position battles and depth at other positions. Bethel-Thompson had a good off-seson through OTA’s and mini-camps but it’s an uphill battle for the Sacremento State signal caller.

The Dolphins haven’t given much thought to serious competition at the position since Ryan Tannehill was drafted. Matt Moore has been the back-up every year but in 2015 the Dolphins are giving a former number draft pick every chance to make the team and he will be competing directly with Bethel-Thompson.

Josh Freeman has been a starter in the NFL and the Dolphins could be looking at him as more than just a third team player. Freeman was drafted by the Tamp Bay Buccaneers in 2009 where he started 59 of the 60 games he appeared in. Freeman played for the Buc’s until the 2013 season and sat out 2014. An up and down player, Freeman showed a lot of promise early in his career but like a lot of quarterbacks, never reached the potential he had.

This season Freeman will look to make the roster and could potentially be the Dolphins future 2nd quarterback. The Dolphins could be looking at him as a future replacement for Matt Moore although that would not likely be until after the 2015 season when Moore’s one year contract is up. He has to make the team first.

Over the course of the off-season Freeman has again been inconsistent but is still showing flashes of his capabilities.

PREDICTIONS

It’s hard to predict the 53 man roster without seeing anyone in pads but quarterback isn’t that hard. The Dolphins will carry only two quarterbacks this year unless Freeman steps up significantly in training camp. Freeman can not be put on the practice squad so he will need to show the team he is worth taking up a roster spot on the 53. Regardless and unless there is an injury, Freeman wouldn’t be active for the games.

Miami in my opinion will hand the 3rd spot to Bethel-Thompson and place him on the practice squad. Should the Dolphins need to dive deeper into the quarterback spot they will likely turn to the free agent market to find a replacement. I completely expect the Dolphins to carry only Tannehill and Moore barring injuries leaving 51 roster spots to fill.