The Miami Dolphins might need a new quarterback. Ryan Tannehill suffered a partially torn ACL last year and didn't undergo surgery. In training camp Thursday, Tannehill injured the knee again. The severity is still unclear, but the Dolphins fear Tannehill might need surgery or at least miss six-to-eight weeks. If Tannehill misses time or the entire season, the Dolphins are left with Matt Moore, 2016 7th round pick Brandon Doughty and 2014 sixth round pick David Fales. That means the Dolphins could look towards free agency for a replacement for Tannehill.
Moore is in line to be the starter, which isn't the worst thing. A long-time NFL backup, Moore has starting experience and can fill-in for Tannehill. He's one of the better backup QBs in the NFL, but if Tannehill is done for the year, Miami will at least explore other options. Doughty spent all year on the practice squad and isn't ready to be a true backup. Fales threw five passes in Chicago, but he's not anywhere near good enough. Miami signed T.J. Yates when Tannehill went down last year, but now that he's in Buffalo, they'd need to look at other options. A trade, like the one Vikings made for Sam Bradford, is also an option. However, with Moore in place, a free agent seems more likely. Moore will likely be the starting QB, but the Dolphins could still look for a backup. With that in mind, here are 5 QBs The Dolphins Could Sign As Replacements For Ryan Tannehill:
Tim Tebow
Nah, I'm just kidding. Sure, Tebow is from Florida, he knows Gase from their time together in Denver. And some fans would love Tebow in Miami (just look at Twitter). But it's not happening. Tebow is off doing his baseball thing and hasn't even donned an NFL jersey since his failed 2015 effort with the Eagles. So, you'll see his name thrown out (and Johnny Manziel too), but it's not a realistic option.
5. Zach Mettenberger
Do you guys remember when some said Mettenberger was the real franchise QB for the Titans and Tennessee didn't need to draft Marcus Mariota? Well that was clearly wrong and Mettenberger is a current free agent. He's had stops with the Chargers and Steelers, but didn't develop enough. Maybe he gets another chance as a backup or camp arm, but he's not a starting QB. Still, he's a more notable name than some of the other free agent QBs like Thad Lewis.
4. Jimmy Clausen
There's an Adam Gase connection here, as Clausen and Gase both spent time in Chicago. The issue is, Clausen wasn't exactly good with the Bears and was even cut. But Clausen does have some experience in the system, which is critical for a backup joining a new team. The QB options really aren't great right now, but the Dolphins could do a lot worse in their search for a No. 2 or No. 3 QB. He had earlier season workouts with the Redskins and Lions.
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3. Colin Kaepernick
Kaepernick is the best QB left on the free agent market and it's not his level of play that's resulted in no NFL teams signing him. He's being blackballed by the NFL for his activism, even though Dolphins owner Stephen Ross doesn't think that's the case. Ross, based on his backing of the National Anthem protests last year, should be willing to sign Kaepernick. And if the Dolphins want a QB to either be the starter or serve as a backup, there is no better free agent option right now. But here's the issue: Kaepernick is going to draw hate from any fanbase for his political stances. But in Miami it's amplified because of his decision to wear a shirt with an image of Fidel Castro and then try to defend it with some inaccurate claims, he's not on good terms with many fans and local media. South Florida contains a higher percentage of Cuban-Americans than anywhere else in the country and that's a major problem for any potential Kaepernick-Dolphins move.
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2. Robert Griffin III
The whole Fidel Castro thing hurts Kaepernick, but Griffin doesn't carry that type of political baggage. He does, however, carry more injury problems and worse on-field production. He wasn't great last year for the Browns, but Griffin III has proven he's serviceable. We'll probably never see Rookie RGIII again, but if anyone can get him playing closer to that level, it's probably Adam Gase. Matt Moore remains a better starting option, but Griffin would be an upgrade at the backup spot behind Moore if Tannehill is done for the year. He recently worked out with the Chargers.
1. Jay Cutler
If the Dolphins really don't want to start Matt Moore, they'll likely make a call to the two retired QBs: Jay Cutler and Tony Romo. Of the two, Cutler is more realistic option. Romo appears committed to his broadcasting job, while Cutler is younger and has ties to Gase. Cutler fared well in Chicago with Gase as his OC and would likely be able to re-learn the scheme quickly. Cutler would only come out of retirement for a guaranteed starting job, assuming he wants to and is in shape. There's a fit here, but Miami might elect to stick with Moore.
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