It's Time for the Dolphins to Move On From Ryan Tannehill

Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill has had 82 games to prove himself the right man for the job. He's been asked to drop back and throw passes for the team nearly 3,000 times. He's seen general managers, head coaches, hundreds of players, and even the stadium he plays in and the logo on his helmet replaced since arriving in Miami in 2012.

Yet, here we are — as the Dolphins line up for a Thursday night contest against the Houston Texans — wondering, again, if Tannehill deserves another chance to get it all right. If maybe next year could be his year, with a couple of new teammates and some better luck, health-wise. If the next installment of Tannehill will be better than a 65 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes.

No. It's time to call it — after this season ends, the Miami Dolphins should move on from Ryan Tannehill. Completely. Not while the team grooms a young quarterback. Not after they attempt to restructure his contract to save some money or to make keeping him behind center more sensible.

The Dolphins have to pull off the bandage completely once the season is over and make Ryan Tannehill a memory. It's beyond time.


No team in the NFL has stood by a quarterback as long and as faithfully as the Dolphins have with Tannehill. From the moment he arrived in Miami, he has had the starting quarterback gig without ever having to truly earn it. Throughout his struggles, the Dolphins have never brought in a backup who would threaten him. Now, in his seventh year, the Dolphins aren't that much worse off with Brock Osweiler in his place.

Think about that: Brock Osweiler, a man the Cleveland Browns paid $17 million to go away in exchange for a second-round pick, has played as well as Tannehill.  A quarterback no one wanted has hit the ground running with Miami and the offense to a point that Tannehill is well down the list of injured Dolphins who will be most missed in tonight's game against Houston.

Tannehill has never been the problem. The biggest issue with his play is that he has also never been the solution. He's just a guy you hope plays decently in perfect situations given everything he needs to succeed. The Dolphins need a quarterback who can overcome adversity and make an average team look well above- average. Tannehill isn't capable of doing this.

The Dolphins fell in love with Baker Mayfield during this year's NFL Draft before the Browns took him first overall. This offseason, if the Dolphins have their eye on any particular young gunslinger they must act, for now and the future. They should pay whatever is necessary to get a new man.

The Ryan Tannehill project must come to a close after seven long seasons. It wasn't so much a disaster as it wasn't anything special. Miami fans deserve better.