Dolphins have options in Tannehill injury
The suspense continues for the Miami Dolphins and quarterback Ryan Tannehill.
It could be another day or two before the Dolphins learn if they have avoided the first major quarterback injury of the 2017 NFL season after Tannehill went down Thursday morning at practice, suffering a noncontact left knee injury.
A person close to the team with knowledge of the MRI taken Thursday of the left knee said the team will seek a second opinion in the coming days and nobody was ready to make a definitive prognosis. The person requested anonymity because the team had not announced anything officially.
The team was not expected to comment on the injury until Friday at the earliest.
Tannehill, who missed the Dolphins final four games last season with medial collateral and anterior cruciate ligaments injuries in his left knee, took an awkward spill Thurs- day after scrambling toward the sideline during a team drill, which left him on the ground momentarily with teammates surrounding.
“I saw him buckle and go down. There was no contact on the play,” offensive coordinator Clyde Christensen said. “The initial reaction is, ‘OK, next man up.’ That’s football. It’s going to happen somewhere in this season. The game doesn’t stop. You go on to the next play. And then obviously my personal thing is, ‘Boy, I sure hope it isn’t serious.’ ”
After the injury last season, Tannehill decided against surgery and instead had a stem cell procedure that had allowed him to participate in all of the offseason program.
Matt Moore is the backup quarterback, and Brandon Doughty and David Fales are also under contract.
If the Dolphins feel the need for help, here are some possibilities. STICK WITH MOORE Tannehill’s backup, Moore, is widely considered to be one of the top No. 2 options in the league. He understands coach Adam Gase’s offense, has plenty of experience and can fill in and produce. When Tannehill went down last season, Moore completed 63.2% of his passes for 721 yards and eight touchdowns against three interceptions. Miami won two of the three games he started. In the playoffs, however, the offense sputtered behind Moore in their 30-12 wild-card loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
If the Dolphins opt to stick with Moore, though, they likely will add a veteran passer for depth. SIGN RECENTLY RETIRED JAY CUTLER After the Chicago Bears released Cutler this offseason, Cutler didn’t draw any interest on the open market, retired and joined Fox Sports as an analyst. Cutler worked with Gase when Gase was Chicago’s offensive coordinator for the 2015 season.
Gase said at the annual league meetings in March: “I think he’s a starting quarterback” and “I think he has a lot to offer a team.”
While under Gase, Cutler completed 64.4% of his passes for 3,659 yards and 21 touchdowns in 2015.
More important, Gase helped simplify the system and helped Cutler reduce his interceptions, dropping them to 11 from 18 the year before.
“I’ve never brought up anything about coming with us because I like our situation,” Gase continued at the annual meetings in March. “I love Jay, but I do like the situation we’ve got going on right now at our place.”
If Tannehill is out for an extended period, that situation is completely different. SIGN COLIN KAEPERNICK This would be the move, of course, that would bring the most media attention and debate. Kaepernick has become the most polarizing figure in the NFL after kneeling for the national anthem last season and speaking out about several social issues.
Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, however, has spoken positively of Kaepernick and players who protested the national anthem, including ones on his own team.
“I would sure hope not,” Ross told reporters July 27 when asked if he thought Kaepernick was being blackballed. “I know a lot’s been written about it, but you know owners and coaches — they’ll do anything it takes to win. If they think he can help them win, I would hope they would sign him.”
Kaepernick appeared in 12 games last season, starting 11, and completed 59.2% of his passes for 2,241 yards, 16 touchdowns and four inter- ceptions. He also ran the ball 69 times for 468 yards and two rushing scores.
Gase does not have experience coaching Kaepernick but was under consideration for the San Francisco 49ers head coaching job after the 2015 season and reportedly came close to landing the gig. THE OTHER FREE AGENTS Some other notable names who are on the market are Robert Griffin III, Austin Davis, Christian Ponder, Zach Mettenberger and Aaron Murray. The Dolphins could also wait for roster cuts in the preseason to add depth at the position. MAKE A TRADE Some potential names are Cody Kessler or Brock Osweiler of the Cleveland Browns.
The New York Jets are having a three-way competition at quarterback; if they decide to go young, the Jets could look to move veteran journeyman Josh McCown.
AJ McCarron (Cincinnati Bengals) is another name that routinely comes up in trade discussions.