The Dolphins might be all-in with Ryan Tannehill as their starter, but that doesn’t mean they’re not looking for another quarterback of the future.
So even as they have declared their intention to ride with Tannehill after two years of knee injuries, they still have to scout the Baker Mayfields and the Josh Allens of the world, and consider them with the 11th pick in the draft.
Team executive Mike Tannenbaum laid out the Dolphins’ rationale for making such a pick:
“You have to balance winning for today and developing for tomorrow,” executive Mike Tannenbaum said, via Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald. “Last year didn’t go, obviously, the way we hoped. It gave us a chance to reflect on some things we could do better. Part of that is making sure we have good depth at as many positions as possible, knowing that over the course of a 16-game season, they’re going to play. That’s what history shows us. . . .
“We’re going to work really hard over the next couple of months to give ourselves as much flexibility as we get closer, assuming we stay at 11, so we can take the best player for us at 11.”
Of course, as much as they might love Tannehill, the reality is they haven’t gotten much from him lately, so planning for a life after (or instead if) might not be the worst plan. So that’s why it’s simply prudent for coach Adam Gase to be among the Dolphins staffers evaluating Mayfield and Allen at the Senior Bowl this week, and why that will be an important part of their decision-making for the future.