Dolphins QBs proved vs. Falcons that Ryan Tannehill must be called right now

Leading up to the Miami Dolphins' preseason opener against the Falcons, head coach Mike McDaniel said the quarterback battle between Mike White and Skylar Thompson was neck and neck. Both players saw extensive action vs. Atlanta and things did not go as planned. The Dolphins posted a 20-13 win, but that doesn't matter.

Straight up, both White and Thompson were rough to watch and they're getting ripped on social media for how they performed. At the same time, countless fans are calling for Chris Grier to pick up the phone and sign a veteran who can be a suitable QB2 behind Tua Tagovailoa. That QB should be Ryan Tannehill.

The Dolphins have a serious backup quarterback problem Ryan Tannehill can fix

Thompson got the start and played the entire first half. His line? He completed 8-of-19 pass attempts for 95 yards, one touchdown, with one interception. The INT was brutal, as Thompson tried to make something happen, but he forced the ball and Atlanta made him pay for it. Yeah, this is one he's going to want back:

White didn't do much better, going 4-of-14 for just 26 yards - he just didn't really look comfortable out there. We understand that White and Thompson were playing with the 2s and 3s, but they were also looking pretty sluggish against Atlanta's backups. We were hoping one of the two would be able to separate themselves, but that wasn't the case.

Instead, it was made clear for the 100th time that if anything happens to Tagovailoa this campaign, Miami is going to be in BIG trouble if either White or Thompson has to see the field for a significant amount of time. This team needs someone they can trust to be the No. 2 option. That's where Tannehill can come in.

He remains a free agent and he's at home waiting for the phone to ring. Tannehill's time with the Dolphins the first time around didn't go as planned, but this would be a completely different situation. He's not a starter in the league anymore - let's just get that out of the way.

Still, however, a great backup role is something that should interest him, especially if it's on a contender. Miami has Super Bowl dreams. Getting Tannehill in the locker room makes too much sense for both sides. We've pleaded with Grier to make something happen with the experienced signal-caller and we're doing so again.