Miami Dolphins could be growing tired of quarterback Ryan Tannehill

The Miami Dolphins could be growing a bit tired of Ryan Tannehill and there are some who believe that Miami will make a change this off-season.

The title of this article is a bit condemning but frankly I couldn’t think of a better one that expresses what might be going on behind closed doors in the Dolphins front office. This is not to suggest, although the title might imply, that Ryan Tannehill has fallen out of favor with the team.

Regardless something is going on and it doesn’t sound as though Ryan Tannehill is a lock to be on the 2019 roster. That is if you are to read the tea leaves that are being provided by both fans in the know, or the “think they know” and the media who likely are more in the know.

What we do know is that owner Stephen Ross wanted a quarterback drafted last year. The drafting of Minkah Fitzpatrick was well covered in the sense that some made out Ross’ comments about his selection to be less than thrilled. So if Ross did indeed want a quarterback then, he must absolutely want one now. Right?

Tannehill returned to action against the Colts after missing five games with a shoulder injury but his return debut came with a mixed result and only more wood to throw on the fire. While Tannehill played well through most of the game, the team still suffered from too many short drives, too many punts, and too many pre-snap penalties. It was the end of the game however that got the blood boiling for most.

In a nutshell, Adam Gase chose to run the ball on third and long from his own goal line knowing that his defense was unable to stop Andrew Luck. On the previous plays Tannehill wasn’t asked to really move the ball but instead was given plays designed for safety. They were safe alright but didn’t work.

Now there is word that receiver Kenny Stills is not pleased telling the media that he “can’t throw the ball to himself”. Adam Gase somewhat agreed to the fact that Stills has not been targeted but six times since Brock Oswseiler was named the starter in Tannehill’s absence. Was Still’s comments directed at Adam Gase or at Ryan Tannehill?

Gase used to defend Tannehill to no end but that too seems to have changed somewhat with comments that do not throw him under the bus but do not prop him up like in the past. This has led to speculation by many in the mainstream media that Gase may be distancing himself from the quarterback. Is Gase losing faith in the quarterback? Is that the reason why safe plays were called when the game was on the line? It is a question that many have been asking in the days since Miami’s loss to the Colts.

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So will Tannehill be back in 2019? A betting man would say yes but when you have no money on the line, it is much easier to say he won’t. The reality is this, Miami is very likely to draft a quarterback early in the draft but where is not yet known. Trading up for a quarterback will be expensive especially given the fact that only one maybe two are considered NFL ready and that too is really a push.

The next question is do you start the rookie and throw him to the NFL wolves? Doing so almost guarantees a losing season and Adam Gase may not be able to survive another season if he survives the last five games.

If Tannehill were released he would undoubtedly be the best quarterback on the free agent market and there is no question that those teams looking for a signal caller will be making calls to his agent. Miami could and very well may try to trade him but that too wouldn’t be an easy sell.

This off-season could be very interesting but the next five games could hold the key to Tannehill’s future if not Gase’s as well. If the fans and the media are keeping close eyes on what the QB can do then we can assume that Stephen Ross will as well and if those rumors of Ross wanting a new quarterback in the draft last year are true, we can bet he won’t be as understanding if the Dolphins opt to not go in that direction.

Ross has been very supportive of his quarterback but we must not forget that Tannehill was not a Stephen Ross draft pick, he was a Jeff Ireland, Joe Philbin, and Mike Sherman draft pick. We all know how that worked out for the three of them.