Ryan Tannehill will be a much better quarterback than Chad Henne ever was.
Like I said, I doubt I will get much resistance with that statement. I believe that Tannehill has the potential to be so much more than Chad Henne ever could be. That's not a knock on Henne, either. Henne was a good quarterback. He was never great, but he was always pretty good.
Tannehill has already shown incredible development after just six games. His confidence, decision-making, and poise in the pocket are so much better now compared to Week 1 against the Texans, and the thing is that he didn't even look bad against Houston. I was extremely encouraged by what I saw then, so I'm ecstatic at what I am seeing now. He looks like an experienced veteran at times commanding the offense, not a rookie who's only played in a little more than a third of an NFL season.
Ryan Tannehill's rapid development up to this point can be attributed to two things, and the first is Tannehill himself. He has a ton of ability, and his willingness to work hard has helped him get to where he is now. It would be a mistake on my part to act like he isn't a huge reason for his own success.
The other reason for his development, which is the whole point of this article, is the ability of the Miami Dolphins as a whole to surround Tannehill with the right people and to put him in the right offensive system. He's been surrounded with everything he needs to succeed. During the draft he was viewed as a guy who, because of his only starting two seasons in college as a QB, would need a few years to develop before he'd be ready to start in the NFL, but every problem that was supposed to come as a result of Tannehill's inexperience was canceled out by Miami's ability to surround him with the proper people and system.
Instead of starting his NFL career at a disadvantage he was able to start at an advantage with plenty of help and support.
The other reason for his development, which is the whole point of this article, is the ability of the Miami Dolphins as a whole to surround Tannehill with the right people and to put him in the right offensive system. He's been surrounded with everything he needs to succeed. During the draft he was viewed as a guy who, because of his only starting two seasons in college as a QB, would need a few years to develop before he'd be ready to start in the NFL, but every problem that was supposed to come as a result of Tannehill's inexperience was canceled out by Miami's ability to surround him with the proper people and system.
Instead of starting his NFL career at a disadvantage he was able to start at an advantage with plenty of help and support.
Tannehill's college head coach, Mike Sherman, was hired as Miami's offensive coordinator, and he brought more than just a knowledge of Tannehill's strengths and weaknesses with him. He also brought the same offense that Tannehill had been running for two years and implemented it with the Dolphins. Tannehill came in already knowing 75% of the playbook, which was huge because he didn't have to spend a ton of time learning the plays. Adjusting to the speed of the NFL was a lot easier because he was able to just play football and didn't have to think too hard about what he needed to do.
Hiring Joe Philbin as the Dolphins head coach also turned out to be a great move. Philbin has firsthand experience developing an elite quarterback. He was the offensive coordinator of the Green Bay Packers for much of Aaron Rodgers career, so he knows what a franchise quarterback is supposed to look like. I can't say exactly how much Philbin has been a part of the Ryan Tannehill's development, but I suspect that he's played an important role.
Whether you like Miami's front office or not, you have to applaud them for the moves they've made this offseason. I understand that Jeff Ireland isn't the most popular guy in Miami, but we should give him some credit for what he's been able to put together.
Heck, one of Ireland's best moves was trading away practically nothing in return for Reggie Bush. Reggie has been instrumental in Tannehill's development. Miami was able to lean on Bush for the first few weeks while Tannehill got his bearings.
All in all, the Miami Dolphins have done an awesome job turning Tannehill into an NFL quarterback. We're witnessing the young rookie develop right in front of our eyes, and I don't think there are many people who saw him coming along this quickly. The way he handles pressure is incredible, and he has been fun to watch.
Now, I always try my best not to overreact. I feel like I am usually pretty good at thinking situations through and looking at the whole picture before I jump to conclusions. So, know that what I am saying has been well thought out. I'm not quite sure whether or not I will get resistance to this statement, so here it goes:
I believe that Ryan Tannehill will be the Miami Dolphins quarterback for the next 10-15 years. I believe that he is the infamous franchise quarterback that we have been waiting so long for. It's been 4,658 days since Marino's last snap, and we now can finally stop searching. Tannehill is the answer. Will he be the next Marino? I doubt it, but he can still be something pretty special. I'm looking forward to watching him for years to come, and I don't think I'm the only one.
That's all I've got for today. Thanks for stopping by. Email me at paul@dolphinshout.com. I'm also on twitter @PaulDSmythe.
