Ryan Tannehill is not the problem and he is not the solution for Dolphins
By Brian Miller
Ryan Tannehill is a polarizing topic that divides the fan base like raging political party opinions. Ryan Tannehill is also a problem for the Miami Dolphins.
When it comes to Ryan Tannehill and the Miami Dolphins he is neither the problem or the solution to the team’s future. He simply is. The debates surrounding Tannehill that circulate through social media circles and the fan base is never-ending and it’s not getting better after Sunday’s performance.
Here is an honest question for you, one that I asked myself. If you watched AFC East game film from 2012 and 2018 with the name plates removed and the jerseys in black and white would you know which version of Ryan Tannehill you were watching? The answer is likely no. Sadly there hasn’t been leaps and bounds of growth from Tannehill since he entered the league and that is a huge problem for the Dolphins.
The Dolphins are faced with an uncertain future and Adam Gase could potentially lose his job in Miami as a result of his reliance on Ryan Tannehill and the reason is there are no other options. The Dolphins have committed to Tannehill and now they have to live with it.
Next years draft is not considered a good quarterback class and that presents a problem for a team like the Dolphins who in theory should be looking for a quarterback to groom behind Tannehill. In hindsight the Dolphins probably should have made a big move up in the draft to take one last year but hindsight is always 20/20.
Ryan Tannehill is not the future of this franchise no matter how much they want you to buy into him being that. He is a game manager and franchise quarterbacks are never managers they are game changers. Play makers. They are the ones who you turn to when you need a game winning drive. That is not Ryan Tannehill. It never really has been.
Tannehill is that sexy quarterback that can make all the throws and pick up a first down and more on his rushing ability. He is the smart cerebral QB that knows the plays and the defensive schemes but he is also that player who simply can’t put it all together.
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To put this a different way, Ryan Tannehill is book smart. Miami needs a quarterback who is street smart. They need a player who can lift and carry the team on his shoulders regardless of who gets injured or how bad the offensive line plays. Tannehill is the quarterback that needs all the pieces around him to be working perfectly for him to be great. When they are not working to peak performance, neither is Tannehill and the drop off is at times big.
At some point the Dolphins need to start thinking about their future and Adam Gase needs to start thinking about his whether he wants to or not. Admit it or not. Gase is not going to win the Super Bowl with Ryan Tannehill at quarterback. He probably won’t win the division either.
Gase’s offense needs a play maker at the position not a game manager. Joe Philbin needed a game manager. Gase however really likes the intellectual part of Tannehill so much so that he can’t see the play on the field as being average. And because of that he too makes excuses. Never pointing the finger in Tannehill’s direction.
For me, I’m a Tannehill supporter but I also realize that there is no point in not being one. He isn’t going anywhere because there is no one to replace him with. Brock Osweiler? Next years mediocre draft class? The Dolphins want to win now but they really can’t with Tannehill and changing directions after this season will only limit their success in the future and likely cost Adam Gase his job. So in theory, the Dolphins will be riding Tannehill for this year and next.