Now what?
Where are the Miami Dolphins as a franchise going?
As of now, they managed to convince Jay Cutler out of retirement in the TV booth and back on to the football field.
Cutler is a quarterback who will always get a reaction. Majority of it is negative, even with a small amount of success. I remember it like yesterday driving and listening to sports radio and the talk leading up to the 2006 NFL Draft was Jay Cutler as the best quarterback in that class over Vince Young and Matt Leinart to name a few. However Cutler never lived up to the hype; he showed signs but it was not enough at the professional level. The arm was there and athleticism, but the fiery leader was missing in action. Did he care? He did not win. But if he won a Super Bowl, this Dolphin signing may have included a welcome parade. Now it’s a matter of his lack of leadership.
Cutler has not proven he is cool when the pressure is on. Now at 34 years of age, his former coach and current Dolphins coach Adam Gase made the phone call pleading his need at the quarterback position. Cutler said yes to a one-year deal for 10 million dollars with incentives that can total up to 13 million.
Now what? Is this is a good situation for Miami? I was prepared to predict 10-6 with Tannehill. Cutler at QB, 8-8? What if Cutler actually succeeds … does Miami re-sign him? Are the Dolphins done with Tannehill? The Dolphins have talent on offense and a solid defense, but where is this franchise going? Cutler is not going to win the division over Tom Brady who is a franchise quarterback. In the NFL, you need a franchise quarterback and Miami does not have one at this moment. I was happy with Matt Moore for now, ready to roll the dice with Tannehill when he is back from knee surgery and if all fails, draft a new quarterback. The plan is not there.
Cutler is out of retirement; you picked him out of retirement over Colin Kaepernick because “he knows the system.” Kaepernick did wear a Fidel Castro t-shirt last season visiting the Dolphins when he quarterbacked for the San Francisco 49ers, so maybe he is not a fit for the city. Politics is involved but this is not about Kaepernick. Miami considered another former Broncos quarterback in Tim Tebow but he is currently playing baseball. The Dolphins right now are not in line to have a franchise quarterback. At the moment, Cutler is in as Tannehill heals the left knee.
Whether it’s Tannehill, Cutler or Moore, the Dolphins still look the same to me, and are the second-best team in the division behind the Patriots ranging from 7 to 9 wins. “A situation like this doesn’t come along very often,” Cutler stated. “They’re a playoff team with a lot of really, really good players. A very, very talented roster.” Gase without hesitation named Cutler the starting quarterback. Cutler who missed five games due to a thumb injury last season with Chicago, mentioned right shoulder surgery he had in December should not be an issue. Instead it will be the rust of not quarterbacking and getting back in shape.
The one-time Pro Bowler was scheduled to start his job as a FOX analyst later this month. Cutler has thrown football passes at his alma mater Vanderbilt, and played basketball in the past few months. “The good thing is I play quarterback, so I don’t have to be in that great cardiovascular shape,” Cutler stated. Cutler had 21 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and a career best 92.3 passer rating when Gase was his offensive coordinator.
Matt Moore, who was flushed out of the starting role again with Cutler signing, shared he has no hard feelings about the recent transitions. “It was very simple, very straightforward, and I get it, I understand,” Moore stated. The Dolphins finished the season 9-5 after Tannehill went down to injury with Moore leading them into the playoffs.
Now what? The beat goes on.
