Miami Dolphins Osweiler signing makes sense for the team
The Miami Dolphins added a new backup quarterback to their roster, but the reception by fans has been less than welcoming.
Quarterback Brock Osweiler is now part of the Miami Dolphins after signing a 1-year deal.
Osweiler? The player who didn’t live up to the 4-year/$72 million contract he signed with the Houston Texans in 2016?
The quarterback who was so disappointing the Texans traded him away 1 season later to the Cleveland Browns in a move that was seen more of a salary dumping than an actual trade?
The man who could not sustain a place on the Browns roster which had no ideal starting quarterback for the 2017 season?
One and the same.
After being released by the Browns in September of 2017, the Broncos picked up Osweiler to be part of their 3-headed quarterback dilemma after Paxton Lynch suffered a shoulder injury. The Broncos went 5-11 this past season and Osweiler found himself a free agent for the third time in his career.
The past 2 seasons, Osweiler has been on the roster of 4 different NFL teams. And because of these reasons listed along with some others, fans haven’t greeted the new Dolphins quarterback with open arms.
The previous Dolphins backup, Matt Moore, has been a fan favorite since 2011. He had come off the bench time and time again for the Dolphins over the years creating excitement and winning games for the team. His biggest career accomplishment may have been in 2016 when he took over for the injured Ryan Tannehill and carried the Dolphins to a 10-6 record and playoff berth.
The fans lost one of their favorite long-time Dolphins players, and Moore Is now replaced by a quarterback that has been viewed more as a disappointment than a success throughout his career. So I understand why there was a negative feedback on social media when this move was made.
But fans need to chill on the Osweiler addition and consider the Dolphins situation.
After deciding Moore would no longer be in their future plans, the Dolphins became thin at the quarterback position behind starter Ryan Tannehill and needed a replacement.
They had to go after a quarterback in free agency. They needed to. It helps to have a veteran QB on the roster. Someone who’s been through the grind before and can show younger players the way. Someone who can step in at a moment’s notice and have a fair part of the coach’s confidence.
Although they’ve been flirting with the idea of drafting a quarterback like Baker Mayfield in the 1st round, the Dolphins couldn’t afford to go into the draft without a veteran backup and potentially miss out on a top QB prospect. It was the safe route and the smart route.
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The Dolphins pick 11th in the draft and at least 4 of the 10 teams (Browns, Giants, Jets, and Broncos) that pick before them are looking to draft a quarterback. Should the Dolphins miss out on a top QB prospect, at least now they have a veteran locked up to take the #2 place on the depth chart.
The Dolphins could still take a chance on a mid to late-round prospect to be their number 2. However, they may not view any of the upcoming college players as a better option than having an Osweiler who’s already played in the league and made a number of starts.
Ryan Tannehill is coming off of his second knee injury and the Dolphins also need to keep that in mind. Although it’s not written in stone that he will re-injure his knee or miss a few games with a different injury, it’s a possible scenario in which the team needs to be prepared. If Tannehill happens to miss a couple of games due to injury during the 2018 season, Osweiler offers experience at quarterback to keep them competitive theoretically until Tannehill returns. He can step in right away and not have to go through the growing pains or learning curves a rookie quarterback would presumably go through.
I’m not saying Brock Osweiler is the ideal backup quarterback, but he probably was one of the better alternatives on the market at the time.
Before he signed with the Kansas City Chiefs, it was rumored the Dolphins had Chad Henne in the mix as one of their backup options. Do fans really want to relive those days?
Blaine Gabbert, Geno Smith, Austin Davis, Derek Anderson, T.J. Yates, Joe Webb, Mark Sanchez, Brandon Weeden, Kellen Clemens, Scott Tolzien, and Ryan Mallet were some other quarterbacks available, according to Rotoworld’s Free Agency Tracker. Anybody jumping up and down for them?
A bright side of the Osweiler deal is that it is only for 1 year. The Dolphins aren’t tied to him for the longterm. They can cut ties if the move goes south and have a chance to upgrade in the future. But for now, they have an adequate safety precaution in place as depth should an injury befall Tannehill or if they do not attain a quarterback in the upcoming draft.