Tannehill biggest key to improvement

DAVIE — For years, the Dolphins have pursued a high-scoring, up-tempo passing offense like the NFL’s most successful teams.

The Dolphins find themselves in that same situation again as they seek to upgrade a pedestrian offense that averaged 17.6 points per game last season, 28th in the league.

To that end, Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill will begin next season with Dowell Loggains, his fourth offensive coordinator in seven seasons. It’s a revolving door that has included Mike Sherman (2012-13), Bill Lazor (2014-15) and Clyde Christensen (2016-17).

The Dolphins have not announced the change at offensive coordinator, but the South Florida Sun Sentinel confirmed Wednesday that Christensen will be shifted to another role and Loggains is the new coordinator.

However, just as in years past, the Dolphins’ offensive improvement rests mostly with Tannehill’s right arm. And now, also his surgically repaired left knee.

Christensen, speaking anecdotally two weeks ago, said Tannehill’s knee has looked good in workouts.

“I watched him a little bit out of the window, here and there, doing some workouts,” Christensen said. “I haven’t seen a ton of it, but his feedback is that he really feels good and that he’s on pace and on the timeline that he needs to be on. That’s really encouraging.”

Tannehill, who had 19 touchdowns, 12 interceptions and a career-best 93.5 passer rating in 2016, seemed to be grasping Gase’s offense when he went down with a knee injury late in that season.

Gase said Wednesday inconsistency and poor chemistry are the main reasons this year’s offense, which averaged 24 points per game for a six-game stretch in November and early December, performed poorly.

Gase said he felt good about those things with Tannehill under center.

“We’ve just got to figure out a way to develop better chemistry … I felt good about it going into training camp from what we did in the offseason,” he said. “I felt good about it when Ryan was working there those first 10 practices of training camp.

“And when he went down, it was a reset for us.”

Tannehill hasn’t talked to reporters since being sidelined in training camp, but he’s frequently seen in the locker room and walks without a limp. His rehabilitation and involvement with the team is going well according to all accounts.

Miami has taken steps to help Tannehill recently by improving its pass protection.

For years, Tannehill was the most sacked quarterback in the NFL.

But Miami allowed 33 sacks this season, 11th-fewest in the league, and 30 sacks in 2016, 10th-fewest in the league.

So from that aspect of offensive improvement, the stage is set for Tannehill.

Hiring the 37-year-old Loggains, Chicago’s offensive coordinator the past two seasons, is also a major part of the plan for offensive improvement.

Loggains, Tennessee’s offensive coordinator for two years (2012-13), was Chicago’s quarterbacks coach in 2015, when Gase served as offensive coordinator, so there’s a familiarity and comfort level, which would seem to be helpful.

But Loggains’ specific duties with the Dolphins remain unclear.

Christensen, who will remain on Gase’s staff in some capacity, didn’t work closely with quarterback Jay Cutler and didn’t call plays.