Preseason finale with Falcons to decide No. 2 QB spot
DAVIE — Considering the number of jobs still left to be won, there should be some drama in the Dolphins’ preseason finale against the Falcons this week. Especially at the backup quarterback spot, where neither David Fales nor Brock Osweiler has secured the job.
Fales has seemed to at least have a slight edge, but coach Adam Gase has kept them even on the depth chart and alternated their series in games. Despite neither making clear that they’re the right guy, Gase said definitively on Monday that one of the two will be his No. 2 Dolphins at Falcons, 7 p.m., CBS
quarterback this season.
When asked if they’re close enough that Thursday’s game against Atlanta is a winner-takeall competition, Gase hesitated. He even mentioned the possibility of keeping both of them, along with Ryan Tannehill.
“I don’t know if I’m looking at it like that,” Gase said. “We haven’t even really said this is how many we’re keeping. If we keep three, then those two guys just keep battling it out for however long it goes.
“We’re gonna look at all the information and keep talking through this. I just want those guys to focus on what they’re trying to do right now, which is get ready for Atlanta. We’ll figure all that out.”
Fales impressed Gase last year, as well as during their time together in Chicago, but the Dolphins kept only two quarterbacks: Jay Cutler and Matt Moore. They had two in Gase’s first season as well, with Tannehill and Moore.
Last year, Fales went unsigned until the Dolphins needed him after Cutler suffered broken ribs. When Cutler returned, they
continued to carry three quarterbacks the rest of the season.
Despite not producing any points thus far, Osweiler believes he’s performed well as he competes for a spot.
“I’m confident in what I’ve put out there,” he said. “Obviously we haven’t had any scoring drives, and I understand that. Your No. 1 job as a quarterback is to find a way to get the football in the end zone, so that’s extremely disappointing.
“But at the end of the day, we spend countless hours with our coaches going back to April, and they know what I’m capable of. It’s up to them to make the decision.”
Osweiler has thrown a lot of interceptions in practice, but in games he’s completed 61 percent of his passes for 174 yards, no touchdowns and one interception. Fales has completed 51.9 percent for 184 yards with no touchdowns and two picks.
After the second preseason game at Carolina, Gase rejected the idea that the two backup candidates haven’t played well. He was a little more critical Saturday, but still defended them and pointed out that they’re not playing with the first team, which they would in an emergency situation during the regular season.
“I think there’s room for improvement for sure, but it’s hard to put it all on them when you get the ball and you’re not expecting it or we’re not blocking the guys,” Gase said. “That’s why it’s hard to evaluate quarterbacks sometimes in preseason games, and you have to use all your practice time and what you know about a guy’s history, and that’s what makes it tough to evaluate them sometimes.”
Fales and Osweiler should split the Atlanta game. Tannehill is not expected to play, and fourth-string quarterback Bryce Petty has been out for a week with an injury. Petty is not in contention for the backup spot.
None of the Dolphins quarterbacks have practice-squad eligibility, meaning the only way to keep them is to place them on the active roster when Saturday’s 4 p.m. deadline arrives. The team will likely add a young quarterback, perhaps an undrafted rookie, to its practice squad Sunday.