Ryan Tannehill

Jay Cutler To Sign With Dolphins

August 7th, 2017 at 2:51pm CST by Rory Parks

Jay Cutler has come out of retirement to sign a one-year deal with the Dolphins, the team announced on Monday. The deal was first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). Schefter tweets that Cutler will earn $10MM, plus incentives, in 2017, and Jay Glazer of FOX Sports tweets that the incentives could raise the total value of the contract to $13MM.

Cutler’s base salary will be $5MM, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reports. With incumbent Fins backup Matt Moore making $1.75MM in base salary, this suggests Adam Gase expects his former pupil to become the starter and also suggests that Ryan Tannehill will miss an extended period of time.

Salguero reports Tannehill, again, has a partially torn ACL. The sixth-year passer suffered the same injury late in the 2016 regular season. It’s uncertain if the Dolphins’ franchise passer will undergo surgery this time to repair the damage or opt for more non-surgical treatment, but he will be out for a while.

Tannehill, 29, spent the past several days consulting with experts about continuing to delay a surgery instead of going under the knife and ending his season, per Salguero. The Miami-embedded reporter adds Tannehill is likely to need surgery, because Cutler didn’t want to step into a situation where Tannehill would come back this season. As of now, Tannehill is almost certain to miss the season, with Salguero tweeting the start of the 2018 campaign is in question.

In Cutler, Dolphins managed to sign a quarterback who possesses high-end physical tools (even if other aspects of Cutler’s game have been scrutinized) and knowledge of Gase’s system. The 34-year-old, who retired from football in May after receiving limited interest as a free agent, has a good relationship with Gase from their time in Chicago in 2015. Then the Bears’ offensive coordinator, Gase helped Cutler to one of his best seasons, in which he completed 64.4 percent of passes, averaged 7.58 yards per attempt and threw 21 touchdowns against just 11 interceptions.

This saga went in a different direction than an ESPN report indicated it probably would on Saturday. Cutler will pivot away from the FOX job he secured earlier this year. And, after piloting some lower-profile Bears teams during his final few seasons in the Windy City, the former first-round pick will become a key component in the AFC playoff race.

The closest Cutler came to a post-Chicago landing spot was with the Jets, who had some interest but did not want to pay franchise-passer money and opted for ex-Cutler teammate Josh McCown instead. Now, Cutler will be thrown onto a playoff-contending outfit. And the skill-position cadre of Jay Ajayi, Julius Thomas, Jarvis Landry, Kenny Stills and DeVante Parker stands to double as one of the best in Cutler’s now-12-season career.

Cutler has one Pro Bowl to his credit, with the 2008 Broncos, and has guided a team to one playoff berth (2010 Bears). His salary will place him in a barely explored middle ground between backup quarterbacks and franchise starters. Cutler’s $10MM in 2017 places him 22nd among quarterbacks, in between the previous gulf that existed between Mike Glennon and Tyrod Taylor in this hierarchy.

Tannehill will earn $20.3MM in 2017, making the Dolphins more committed to two passers financially than any NFL team.

Sam Robinson contributed to this report.

East Notes: Dolphins, Glenn, Reed, Eagles

August 6th, 2017 at 4:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Dolphins‘ Jay Cutler addition easily became the NFL story of the week, and more specifics on the agreement are emerging. Cutler’s $5MM base salary will be augmented by $5MM in bonuses and $3MM in incentives, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Between Cutler, Ryan Tannehill and Matt Moore, the Dolphins are spending more than $32MM on quarterback salaries this season. This salary will represent Cutler’s lowest in a season since 2013, prior to his second Bears pact.

Rapoport (video link) didn’t rule out the possibility of a multiyear Dolphins/Cutler union, but said as of now the plan is just for this season. He cites Cutler’s desire to play, noting the interest he had in the Texans’ job, and possible success with Adam Gase as a reason the door is slightly ajar for the 34-year-old passer to have a beyond-2017 future with the Dolphins.

Here’s the latest from the Eastern divisions.

Of course, Tannehill is under contract through the 2020 season. But Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com notes (via Twitter) the Dolphins can escape from Tannehill’s contract after this season, if they choose. No fully guaranteed money remains on Tannehill’s deal, although a $5.25MM injury guarantee for 2018 is in place. Breer categorizes the 2018-20 portion of Tannehill’s contract as team options. The Dolphins, though, don’t have another long-term solution lined up beyond the suddenly injury-prone Tannehill.
This Cutler signing will make a Jarvis Landry extension more difficult, James Walker of ESPN.com offers. The Dolphins entered Sunday with $17MM-plus in cap space, with just $3MM projected to be available in 2018. While the latter figure doesn’t mean a ton yet due to roster moves that could me made to increase it, the Dolphins lost some possible carryover money due to the Cutler signing, one Walker calls a mistake. Gase’s Bears campaign produced the 23rd-ranked passing offense in 2015 and a 6-10 record. Although, the Bears were playing without some skill-position talent that season. But Cutler has only led one team, the ’10 Bears, to the postseason and is coming off an injury-marred season. As for Landry, not much has developed on that front.
Cordy Glenn has struggled with lower-leg and foot problems since last season, and the Bills‘ franchise left tackle still has some uncertainty surrounding his status. That said, Glenn returned to practice on Sunday after seeing a foot specialist, Rapoport reports (on Twitter). Glenn recently received a second opinion on his foot from foot specialist Dr. Robert Anderson, Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News reports. Sean McDermott called the veteran blocker day-to-day.
Jay Gruden is optimistic Jordan Reed will be able to shake his toe injury and be ready to go by the time the Redskins take the field in Week 1. “From every indication I’ve received from the doctors and trainers and from Jordan, I feel he’ll be ready for the season,” Gruden said, via John Keim of ESPN.com. “But you never know, so we’ll still have to wait and see. Things are odd from time to time, but I have total faith that he’ll be ready.” Reed is on the Active/PUP list and struggled with the toe malady throughout last season. Reed also visited with Dr. Anderson last week but has ramped up his work since.
Corey Graham has experience at both secondary positions, but Jim Schwartz plans to use his former Bills charge at safety despite the Eagles being weaker at corner, Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com notes, adding that Malcolm Jenkins could shift into the slot on sub-packages. Graham has played most of his career at corner but moved to safety full-time in 2015.

Latest On Dolphins’ QB Quandary

August 5th, 2017 at 2:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

Adam Gase attempted to provide clarity on the Dolphins’ quarterback situation on Saturday, but the position is far from solidified after the latest Ryan Tannehill injury occurrence.

Gase confirmed he’s spoken with Jay Cutler about being a possible emergency-circumstance addition, but the second-year coach said only one conversation has occurred. Gase did say Cutler expressed his interest in a Miami job, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reports. Gase said Cutler did not seek an arrangement where he’d only leave his Fox post for a guaranteed starting job, per Salguero.

“He was interested,” Gase said of Cutler’s status, via Salguero. “I think he’s just trying to figure out everything. … He didn’t demand anything.”

Salguero offers that a reunion between Gase and Cutler, who worked together for the 2015 Bears, remains the most likely conclusion to the Dolphins’ sudden passer crisis.

Meanwhile, both Salguero and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk are hearing matters are not calm on the Tannehill front. Salguero said he’s been told “over and over” reports of the 29-year-old quarterback having avoided structural damage are not correct. The Miami-based reporter adds the team is considering all options, including a season-ending ACL surgery for Tannehill. That’s the buzz Florio is getting, offering (on Twitter) the feeling is it’s “quietly becoming a given” the sixth-year starter will undergo surgery.

Tannehill, of course, did not undergo surgery for the partial tear he suffered late last season.

Jeff Darlington of ESPN.com, though, threw some cold water on a Cutler/Dolphins pact. The ESPN reporter tweeted Cutler is “leaning heavily” toward staying retired and beginning a broadcasting career. But this situation has brought unique intrigue for Cutler, whom Darlington reports (on Twitter) would only consider the Dolphins as a return destination. Even though Miami’s supporting cast — Jarvis Landry/DeVante Parker/Kenny Stills/Julius Thomas/Jay Ajayi — would represent one of the better groups of Cutler’s career, it doesn’t look like the 34-year-old free agent would return to football (Twitter link). But Darlington adds, via Twitter, Cutler isn’t 100 percent certain about spurning this interest yet.

Cutler’s television agent, Mark Block, tweeted his client hasn’t decided anything yet.

Latest On Dolphins’ Quarterback Situation

August 4th, 2017 at 6:16pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

There has been mutual interest between Miami and Jay Cutler since Dolphins starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill suffered a left knee injury on Thursday. Adding to the speculation, Joe Schad of the Palm Beach Post reports that Cutler would “really like to” reunite with Dolphins head coach Adam Gase. The feeling is mutual, as Cutler is Miami’s No. 1 choice among available passers, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, who adds that the two sides have discussed a contract (on Twitter).

The 34-year-old Cutler, who retired from football in May after receiving limited interest as a free agent and then signed with FOX Sports, has a good relationship with Gase from their time in Chicago in 2015. Then the Bears’ offensive coordinator, Gase helped Cutler to one of his best seasons, in which he completed 64.4 percent of passes, averaged 7.58 yards per attempt and threw 21 touchdowns against just 11 interceptions.

Whether Cutler joins Gase in Miami will largely boil down to the severity of Tannehill’s injury, which will either keep him out for several weeks or sideline him for the entire season. Cutler would reportedly only put his broadcasting career on hold to join the Dolphins as a full-time starter, so a less serious diagnosis for Tannehill might lead the Dolphins to look elsewhere for help under center.

One possibility could be Browns veteran Brock Osweiler, who isn’t a lock to make a roster that also includes rookie DeShone Kizer and second-year man Cody Kessler. Osweiler worked under Gase as a backup in Denver from 2012-14, when the latter served as the team’s quarterbacks coach and then O-coordinator, and developed immense respect for the coach. Gase is “brilliant” and “a tremendous coach,” Osweiler told Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com.

Thanks to the close relationship between Osweiler and Gase, not to mention the strong likelihood that Kizer will start for the Browns, the Dolphins will probably inquire about an Osweiler trade, writes Cabot. It’s unclear whether Osweiler, after struggling mightily last year in Houston, would overtake Tannehill’s main backup, Matt Moore, or sit behind Moore on Miami’s depth chart.

The 32-year-old Moore acquitted himself well while filling in late last season for an injured Tannehill, when he helped the Dolphins finish 2-1 to post a 10-6 record and earn their first playoff berth since 2008. Gase lightly endorsed Moore on Friday, telling reporters (including Lorenzo Reyes of USA Today): “Right now, Matt is our quarterback. We’ll see where we go from there because I’ve got to figure out what’s going on with Ryan. And then we’ll make a decision after that.”

There’s “no timetable” for a decision on Tannehill, Gase added, but the Dolphins are going to have to take action soon with the regular season just over a month away.

Fins Fear Ryan Tannehill Will Miss Season

August 3rd, 2017 at 9:25pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Dolphins’ “fear” is that quarterback Ryan Tannehill will have to undergo season-ending surgery on his left knee, according to Adam Schefter and Jeff Darlington of ESPN. They haven’t made a decision yet, however, and Tannehill could choose to rest for six to weight weeks in lieu of surgery.

A few reports have trickled in regarding Tannehill’s knee since he departed practice on Thursday. While one of those has been positive, the majority have offered pessimistic outlooks, which is the case here. Tannehill has injured his left knee twice since last December, when he partially tore his ACL and had to sit out the Dolphins’ final three regular-season games and their wild-card round loss to the Steelers.

Darlington reported earlier Thursday that there are some Dolphins officials who would like Tannehill to undergo surgery as a way to put his left knee problems behind him for good, and a source told him and Schefter that “[Tannehill’s] done, I think,” in regards to his chances of playing this year. Another informed the reporters that Tannehill’s knee is “a ticking time bomb that was going to go off at any time.”

Even in a best-case scenario, it seems the Dolphins could go without Tannehill until sometime in October, which would leave them with Matt Moore as their only experienced quarterback. Moore performed admirably in Tannehill’s stead down the stretch last season, but he hasn’t started extensively since his first year with the Dolphins in 2011. While Miami could choose to ride it out with Moore under center, it’ll still look for insurance at the position. The retired Jay Cutler is reportedly willing to table his fledgling broadcasting career to play for the Dolphins and reunite with head coach Adam Gase, who meshed nicely with the signal-caller as the Bears’ offensive coordinator in 2015. However, the 34-year-old Cutler would only return if the Dolphins were to guarantee him a starting job for the entire season.

Unlike Cutler, other options won’t be in position to demand a starting job at this point. Colin Kaepernick, who has drawn some interest from the Dolphins, is one possibility. Robert Griffin III, Christian Ponder, Shaun Hill and Zach Mettenberger are also among the league’s unemployed QBs. No one from that group has ties to Gase, though veteran Browns backup Brock Osweiler does from their days together in Denver. Osweiler might end up on the outs in Cleveland in the coming weeks if he doesn’t win its starting job, which could make him a Dolphins target.

Regardless of where Miami goes from here, it’s now in a disastrous situation on the heels of its first playoff season since 2008. Tannehill was instrumental in the Dolphins’ success last season, and he has served as a capable starter since they chose him eighth overall in the 2012 draft. The ex-Texas A&M standout fared well enough earlier in his career for the Dolphins to hand him a four-year, $77MM extension prior to the 2015 campaign. Tannehill’s under team control through 2020 as a result.

Jay Cutler Interested In Dolphins

August 3rd, 2017 at 6:43pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

After encountering a tepid market for his services in free agency this year, longtime quarterback Jay Cutler elected to walk away from football in May and pursue a career in broadcasting. Three months later, the 34-year-old is having second thoughts. If Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill‘s left knee injury proves to be major, Cutler would be willing to sign with the team as a full-time starter, reports Jeff Darlington of ESPN.com.

Miami is the only team for which Cutler would consider resuming his NFL career, and he’s not coming back if it means sitting on the bench, per Darlington. The Dolphins haven’t considered signing him yet, adds Darlington, but Cutler already has a good relationship with head coach Adam Gase. The two worked together to positive results in 2015, Gase’s only season as the Bears’ offensive coordinator. That year will go down as Cutler’s last productive campaign if he doesn’t leave the FOX broadcasting booth to return to the gridiron.

A potential Cutler pursuit will be moot if Tannehill’s knee doesn’t end up being a problem. Since he left practice Thursday, optimistic and pessimistic reports have surfaced regarding Tannehill’s status. The 29-year-old missed the tail end of last season with a partially torn left ACL, and while the severity of the injury he suffered Thursday in the same knee is unknown, Dolphins officials do regard it as a setback, writes Darlington. Moreover, there are some within the organization who believe Tannehill should go under the knife to fully repair his knee once and for all. If that were to happen, Tannehill likely wouldn’t play at all in 2017, which could set up a Cutler-Gase reunion and leave FOX short a color commentator.

Surgery Possible For Ryan Tannehill

August 3rd, 2017 at 4:46pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

While there was a hopeful report on Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill‘s injured left knee earlier Thursday, he’s not in the clear yet, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. An MRI on Tannehill’s knee came back inconclusive, writes Salguero, who hears that “all options remain on the table” – including surgery. Tannehill will go for a second opinion, adds Albert Breer of The MMQB (Twitter link).

Tannehill departed practice Thursday on the heels of a non-contact injury, after which the Dolphins feared the worst, per Salguero. If the 29-year-old’s knee issue actually does require him to miss time, it would force Miami to check into free agent options – whether they’re low-profile types or more polarizing options such as Colin Kaepernick, Robert Griffin III, Jay Cutler and Tony Romo. While Cutler and Romo are retired, the Dolphins could still kick the tires on either should Tannehill’s injury prove serious. Cutler, Chicago’s longtime starter, has a connection to Dolphins head coach Adam Gase, who was the Bears’ offensive coordinator in 2015.

As of now, the only healthy QBs on the Dolphins’ roster are Matt Moore, David Fales (one of Cutler’s ex-Chicago teammates) and 2016 seventh-round pick Brandon Doughty. Moore, to his credit, is a better reserve option than most – he stepped in late last season after Tannehill succumbed to a partial ACL tear and helped the Dolphins to a 2-1 finish en route to a 10-6 record. Moore completed 55 of 87 passes, averaged 8.3 yards per attempt and tossed eight touchdowns against three interceptions in his four appearances (three starts). The 32-year-old was also at the helm for the Dolphins’ wild-card round game against the Steelers, and while he fared OK statistically (29 of 36 for 289 yards with a touchdown and a pick), his club was on the wrong end of a 30-12 decision.

Latest On Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill

August 3rd, 2017 at 3:09pm CST by Zachary Links

The Dolphins got a scare on Thursday morning when Ryan Tannehill exited practice after a non-contact injury. We’re still waiting on the full diagnosis, but the early word this afternoon is positive. There is no structural damage in Tannehill’s knee, a source tells Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL.com (on Twitter).

The lack of structural damage indicates that Tannehill can probably avoid surgery, which should cut down on recovery time. Tannehill missed the last three games of the 2016 season and the team’s wild-card loss in the playoffs and they’re hoping to avoid a similar fate with the latest knee ailment.

Last year, Tannehill graded out as the league’s 16th best quarterback, per the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus. His 80.9 score was a career-low and a step back from his peak years in 2013 and 2014.

Dolphins Fear Worst For Ryan Tannehill

August 3rd, 2017 at 12:50pm CST by Zachary Links

On Thursday morning, Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill left the practice field after a non-contact injury, sparking speculation everywhere that he might have suffered a serious ligament tear. We’re still waiting on an update, but right now the Dolphins are “fearing the worst,” according to Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald (on Twitter).

At minimum, Tannehill is dealing with a hyperextended left knee, Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald hears. Beyond that, it’s possible that Tannehill has suffered anything from a PCL sprain (two to eight weeks recovery) to an ACL tear (a season ender).

The Dolphins abstained from making major QB additions this offseason, potentially out of respect for Tannehill. If Tannehill is injured, it seems likely that the team will look for outside help. As of this writing, the next two QBs on the roster are 33-year-old Matt Moore and 26-year-old David Fales.

Colin Kaepernick is the biggest name left on the free agent board and there has been a great deal of focus on former Redskins standout Robert Griffin III as well.

In theory, Tony Romo and Jay Cutler are also available, but they both say that they are likely done playing.

“There is zero doubt in my mind that there is going to be some regret,” Cutler, a new member of FOX’s NFL broadcast team, said earlier this year. “I have no doubt in my mind come the middle of August, September there is going to be that itch to play. There is going to be part of me that I know I can still do it. But that’s not how the cards played out, and that’s not where we are at. I just don’t feel comfortable with a situation in August or September of jumping back into it, even if that situation arises, which I don’t think it’s going to.”

Tannehill also injured his knee in Week 14 of last season, but he was able to avoid surgery for his partially torn ACL and Grade 2 MCL sprain.

Make-Or-Break Year: Ryan Tannehill

July 9th, 2017 at 11:03am CST by Rory Parks

Ryan Tannehill may be working with the most talented offensive weapons he’s ever had at his disposal in 2017, and if he wants to remain under center for the Dolphins for the long haul, he will have to make the most of those weapons. Yesterday, we looked at a discussion among ESPN’s AFC East contingent as to whether Miami should stick with Tannehill or start looking for his replacement, and while the consensus is that Tannehill is a solid quarterback whose contract looks more and more like a bargain with each passing year, the ESPN scribes do not appear to have much faith that Tannehill can bring a title to South Beach. Indeed, ESPN’s Bills reporter, Mike Rodak, believes the Dolphins need to begin preparing for their next quarterback now.

And it’s hard to blame him. It took Tannehill five seasons to post a winning record, and his skill-set and statistical output to this point in his career reasonably invoke the old adage that is trotted out for quarterbacks like Jay Cutler and Alex Smith: just good enough to lose.

Of course, Tannehill is not solely responsible for the Dolphins’ mediocre record during his tenure. After all, it’s not as though the team has been stocked with talent that was held back by substandard quarterback play. Rather, the roster has been average at best and Tannehill, whose performance has been average to a little above-average, has not been able to enhance it. But as the talent surrounding him slowly improves, it is fair to question whether Tannehill has enough ability to turn his team into a true championship contender.

What makes a conversation about Tannehill’s long-term future with Miami particularly interesting now is the way his contract is structured. After 2017, the only guaranteed money on Tannehill’s deal is $5.525MM of his 2018 salary that is currently guaranteed for injury and becomes fully guaranteed on the fifth day of the 2018 league year. That means that, if they really want to, the Dolphins could part ways with Tannehill after this season and the dead cap hit would be fairly minimal while the savings would be significant.

The problem is that Miami does not have a young quarterback on the roster that is pushing for playing time, and free agency is almost never an answer when it comes to quarterbacks. The 2018 rookie class may boast a fair amount of quarterback talent, so if Tannehill struggles in 2017, it would behoove the team to draft a signal-caller in the early rounds of next year’s draft and groom him behind Tannehill for a year or so (Tannehill is under club control through 2020).

So while it would be a surprise to see Tannehill somewhere other than Miami in 2018, the 2017 season will go a long way towards determining his future prospects with the Dolphins.

Load More Posts