It seems to happen a lot these days. A big name becomes available, the Miami Dolphins show a ton of interest, but in the end are unable to real in the big fish.
The Miami Dolphins get left out in the cold
Coaches Jim Harbaugh and Jeff Fisher used the Dolphins as leverage in their negotiations, and most recently, Matt Flynn and Peyton Manning flirted with Miami before signing lucrative deals elsewhere.
I guess the whole “taking my talents to South Beach” doesn’t have the same sort of appeal for football players. Considering the franchise hasn’t won a playoff game since the year 2000, it’s easy to understand why that’s the case.
But with the Dolphins left out in the cold in the quarterback carousel that was free agency, where do they turn now? After the jump, I’ll take a look at some of the remaining free agent and draft options for the Miami Dolphins moving forward.
The Dolphins have been trying to find a franchise quarterback since Dan Marino called it quits. The search has been far from easy. Numerous draft picks and plenty of cash have been thrown at the position to no avail. Despite falling behind in the count 0-2, it appears as though Miami is still going to swing for the fences on a quarterback this offseason.
Alex Smith has already been brought in on a visit, and trade speculation regarding Tim Tebow is beginning to swirl. Neither of those would appear to be a long term answer at the position, however. The problem is, the two players in the 2012 NFL Draft that appear to be long term fixtures at quarterback will be long gone before the Dolphins are on the clock. And after Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III, it is tough to make a case for any other signal caller at the No. 8 pick.
The one player who is being talked about is Ryan Tannehill of Texas A&M. Due to the positional value of quarterbacks, his stock has soared in recent weeks. Some have even started to mock Tannehill fourth overall to the Cleveland Browns.
It’s slim pickings at the quarterback position right now. Rather than reach for Tannehill, the Dolphins could choose to be patient with the position. In the second round, Miami may have a chance at Brandon Weeden, and a bit later in the draft, Brock Osweiler could be a target. The team has whiffed on second round quarterbacks before, but they may not have a choice at this point. Plus, there isn’t a ton of risk involved in taking a quarterback in day two or beyond. There isn’t a lot of money involved, and if the team struggles, a quarterback could still be an option at the top of 2013 NFL Draft.
The Dolphins have once again been left out in the cold, and it could be a very, very long season down in South Beach.
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