Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill is a bit of an enigma. He reminds me of one of the mysteries on "Lost" in that no one seems to be able to figure him out. Is he a franchise quarterback or just another guy?
The Dolphins will have to determine that for themselves, but in order to do so they may have to exercise Tannehill's fifth-year option which would cost the team a pretty penny.
"We are excited about [Tannehill's] future as a Dolphin...We saw a lot of progress [in 2014]," general manager Dennis Hickey told the media on Wednesday.
It's true that Tannehill improved from a statistical standpoint this past season. He set career highs in passing yards (4,045), touchdowns (27), completion percentage (66.4) and rushing yards (311). But offensive coordinator Bill Lazor also implemented a system that called for safer throws while relying on the read-option. Despite Tannehill's uptick in production, Miami still faded down the stretch to fall out of the playoff race for the third consecutive season. Still, Miami seems willing to give the young QB more time to prove himself.
"Expect the Dolphins, at the very least, to pick up the fifth-year option on Tannehill's rookie contract, a $15 million commitment to their young leader that will be guaranteed in the case of injury," Adam H. Beasley of the Miami Herald wrote.
"Hickey, always cautious with his words, would not commit to the move Wednesday, but many around the league believe it's a foregone conclusion. Whether Tannehill actually would play on that fifth year of his deal remains to be seen."
Tannehill is just 23-25 for his career. He's shown flashes of big-time ability while also making a few head-scratching moves along the way. If the Dolphins exercise his option, they'll have him under contract through the 2016 season, giving them two years to make a firm decision on his long-term viability. It's also still possible that the team comes to terms with him on an extension this offseason.
"Are they going to work out a long-term extension?" ESPN Dolphins reporter James Walker wrote. "I think that's a possibility, but that's probably not the favorite thing they're going to do. They're probably going to keep him under contract for two years...so by then they will know for sure whether or not he's a franchise quarterback."
Most young quarterbacks struggle in their first few seasons. Not every signal-caller can experience the type of success Andrew Luck and Russell Wilson are having early in their careers. But Tannehill has not been consistent enough as of yet to firmly convince the Dolphins that he can be their guy. Will he be able put the franchise's lingering doubts to bed in the 2015 season?
