Saturday at the Sun Sentinel, Dave Hyde highlighted the Miami Dolphins’ frustrating track record in life AD (After Dan) at the quarterback position.
Hyde urged the importance of not just picking a quarterback to be the guy, but continuing to look for an upgrade at the position until the team is at the level needed to win a championship.
Hyde is right. Now, more than ever, the Dolphins can’t afford to sit on their hands and wish a franchise quarterback into existence.
He provided numerous examples in recent years, including:
- The Chiefs stacking Alex Smith and Patrick Mahomes
- The Seahawks drafting Russell Wilson after spending big money on Matt Flynn
- The Redskins doubling down at quarterback with Robert Griffin III and Kirk Cousins in the same draft
And to Hyde’s point, Miami only drafted one quarterback during Ryan Tannehill’s 7-year tenure with the team: Western Kentucky’s Brandon Doughty in the sixth round.
This isn’t to say the team needs to draft first round quarterbacks every year. But it does serve as a healthy reminder that the fan base should embrace legitimate competition at the quarterback position.
The Dolphins were so eager to turn Ryan Tannehill into “the guy” that they never really introduced anyone who could threaten him in order to prop him up.
Not anymore. The cream needs to rise to the top. So bring on a free agent veteran to provide experience. Bring on a first round quarterback within the next three years (here’s looking at you, Trevor Lawrence). And bring on a middle-round quarterback along the way, too.
