You know what the connection between the Miami Dolphins and a real dolphin is? Neither has any idea whether Ryan Tannehill can be a full-fledged franchise quarterback in the NFL.
Yes, Tannehill is coming off the best statistical season of his career. But the Dolphins finished 8-8 for the second season in a row and fell out of playoff contention down the stretch for the third. Tannehill is just 11-15 during the last two months of the regular season for his career. We've seen glimpses of impressive ability coupled with stretches of inconsistency all amounting to one big question mark.
And for the Dolphins, that question needs to be answered soon for the sake of their salary cap.
Tannehill is entering the final year of his four-year rookie contract in 2015. The team has three routes it an take when it comes to his contract situation.
1. Miami can exercise Tannehill's fifth-year option for 2016. The deadline for doing so is in May and the cost of doing so would be $15 million. That's expensive, though it would keep Tannehill in Miami for two more seasons, allowing the team (hopefully) enough time to evaluate his long-term prospects.
2. Miami can hammer out a long-term extension with Tannehill. Again, though, money and time are certainly the biggest issues. Look around the league at recent quarterback extensions: Jay Cutler ($126 million), Colin Kaepernick ($126 million), Andy Dalton ($115 million). All the deals are structured differently, but they are all still expensive and pocked with doubt. Do the Dolphins really want to commit that type of money and time to a guy they still aren't 100 percent sure about?
3. Last option: no deal. This would be a risky and unrealistic route to choose, but it's still possible. If the Dolphins really want Tannehill to prove he is worthy of a long-term agreement, they could just let him play out his rookie contract and make a decision after the 2015 season. However, that would run the risk of another team possibly scooping Tannehill up in unrestricted free agency.
"So which option will Miami take?" ESPN's James Walker wrote. "I'm expecting the fifth-year option for Tannehill. "Sure, the $15 million price tag for 2016 is a bit scary. But the team should focus on the $17 million investment over two seasons, which makes it look less daunting.
"The Dolphins think Tannehill can develop into a legit franchise quarterback who can consistently lead the team to the playoffs. But he has yet to prove it. Miami should know for sure by the end of the 2016 season if Tannehill is worth the mega extension other quarterbacks like Cutler and Dalton received prematurely."
