What an off-season it has been for the Miami Dolphins.
The Dolphins threw me a curve ball, signing wide receiver Jarvis Landry to a one-year franchise tag for a little under 16 million dollars. Weeks later Landry was traded to the Cleveland Browns for 2019 7th round pick and 2018 4th round pick (#123 Durham Smythe).
Weeks later defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh was released clearing 17 million in cap space. Suh eventually signed with the Los Angeles Rams for one year for 14 million.
Why not throw out center Mike Pouncey to clear seven million in cap space also? Pouncey eventually signed two years 15 million dollar deal with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Miami was 6-10 during the 2017 season with the No. 28 scoring offense and No. 29 scoring defense.
The message from Miami this off-season was change is needed.
One person, who remains, quarterback Ryan Tannehill.
Tannehill, the player who has been sidelined the past 19 games by a significant knee injury. The engine to the Dolphins car.
Tannehill is back in OTAs this week practicing for the first time since a torn left ACL in training camp ended his 2017 season before it began. A severe injury to the same knee forced him to miss the final four games in 2016, meaning he hasn’t played in nearly 18 months.
“I remember sitting in the cafeteria looking through the glass like a little kid not allowed to go outside and play,” Tannehill shared. “Felt blessed to be able to go out and compete and play and do what I love.”
Tannehill said that before the draft, head coach Adam Gase told him he would be a starter and he never worried about Miami drafting a QB high. Tannehill has taken charge of all of the starting quarterback’s repetitions.’
Tannehill is expected to wear a brace on the left knee during the regular season.
“It does nothing structurally,” Tannehill said. “It is purely to prevent what started that whole train wreck with my injury.”
Carson Palmer, Sam Bradford, and Tom Brady to name a few are quarterbacks who rebuilt their knees with mobility still evident in their games.
Tannehill joke at the start of his press conference that he was “back from the dead.”
When he wasn’t playing, Tannehill shared he took “mental reps” and attended meetings taking away lessons he can use the rest of his career.
It was a long road back to the field for Tannehill, however, moving forward how much yardage remains before the team and player find the fork in that road.
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