While the Miami Dolphins gave quarterback Ryan Tannehill a bode of confidence in March, Dolphins fans will never know what the organization would have done if one of the top-rated quarterbacks were available when they made their first selection in the 2018 NFL Draft. Had that occurred, perhaps the Tannehill era would be finished.
Instead, history was made, as four signal callers went in the top 10 for the first time in nearly 70 years. The Dolphins didn’t trade up and picked just after the run on quarterbacks at No. 11.
But maybe that’s a blessing in disguise. Tannehill showed great signs of improvement towards the end of his first season under coach Adam Gase two years ago. If health isn’t a concern, don’t be surprised if Tannehill experiences one of the better seasons of his career in 2018.
Can Ryan Tannehill Continue to Thrive Under Adam Gase?
The Gase-Tannehill relationship started off poorly in 2016 with the Dolphins losing four of their first five games. And in the one they did win, they needed overtime to knock off the hapless Cleveland Browns, who have won one of their last 32 games.
But starting with a shocking victory versus the Pittsburgh Steelers in mid-October — in a game where Tannehill completed 75 percent of his passes and averaged 7.88 yards per attempt — the Dolphins won seven of their next eight. Miami ended the season without Tannehill, who partially tore his ACL on Dec. 11, but still earned the franchise’s first playoff berth since 2008.
During that eight-game stretch, Tannehill played the best football of his career. He completed 69.1 percent of his passes for 1,723 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Tannehill wasn’t necessarily “throwing the ball all over the yard,” but he had dramatically cut down on his mistakes. In those eight games, he threw just five interceptions and sustained 12 sacks. Over the first five games of the 2016 season, Tannehill actually averaged more yards per attempt, but he threw seven interceptions and took 17 sacks.
His improvement in those eight games is even more impressive when considering the early parts of his career. From 2013-15, opponents sacked Tannehill 149 times, which was more than any other quarterback in the league. That’s an average of nearly 50 per season; his pace during his successful eight-game sample size was less than half of that.
Surely, the team improved in front of him. Guard Laremy Tunsil settled in as a rookie in 2016 to solidify the offensive line, and running back Jay Ajayi emerged as the team’s best offensive weapon. But Tannehill improved along with them.
Ryan Tannehill’s Health is His Biggest Question Mark
The biggest concern surrounding the Dolphins quarterback situation is Tannehill’s health. Because of another knee injury last August, he hasn’t seen game action in more than 19 months. As much as NFL players have set new records returning from ACL tears in recent years, that’s a long time to be away. It’s unrealistic to expect him to be back at his playing level from the end of 2016 right away.
But whether he can stay healthy is probably not as big of a concern as some may believe. Tannehill didn’t miss a game in his first four NFL seasons, and just because he essentially suffered the same injury twice doesn’t mean he’s suddenly injury prone and needs to be replaced. His biggest mistake was not electing for surgery after tearing the ACL the first time. That cost him last season, but it doesn’t mean there’s going to be a lingering problem.
For those reasons, it’s not fair to criticize the Dolphins for failing to draft a quarterback this year. They still believe in Tannehill, and rightfully so because of the giant strides he made under Gase in half a season.
The only thing the Dolphins need now is him on the field.
