Ryan Tannehill must prove he's worth his contract
By Mike Batista
All signs point to Ryan Tannehill having a breakthrough year for the Miami Dolphins.
Since being chosen with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft, Tannehill’s passer rating has improved every year. He went from 76.1 as a rookie to 86.7 in 2013 to 92.8 last year.
Tannehill threw for 4,045 yards and 27 touchdowns in 2014, both career highs. He also threw a career-low 12 interceptions and was fifth in the league with a 66.4 completion percentage.
The Dolphins expect this upward trajectory to continue. During the offseason, they signed him to a $96 million extension through 2020.
That puts Tannehill just outside the $20 million club. His average annual salary is $19.25 million, according to Spotrac. He’s by far the highest-paid quarterback who hasn’t led his team to the playoffs. Second on that list is Sam Bradford at $13 million a year.
A lot of quarterbacks who get those $20-million-a-year contracts these days are being paid for what they have done in the NFL. The Dolphins are paying Tannehill almost that much for what they think he can do.
It’s a gamble. The Dolphins haven’t had a winning season with Tannehill calling the signals. He has a 23-25 career record, including 8-8 in each of the last two years.
The Dolphins don’t expect Tannehill to carry them on his own to their first playoff berth since 2008. They drafted wide receiver DeVante Parker fourteenth overall and brought in Kenny Stills, who caught 63 passes last season in New Orleans. They also signed tight end Jordan Cameron, who was a Pro Bowler two years ago but limited to 24 catches last year because of a concussion.
If Cameron can regain his 2014 form, he’d be an upgrade over Charles Clay.
Another 2013 Pro Bowler who the Dolphins need a comeback year from is Branden Albert. The left tackle tore his ACL in Week 10 at Detroit last year, and Tannehill absorbed 27 of his 46 sacks after that.
Tannehill has been sacked 139 times in his career, including a league-high 58 times in 2013. The offensive line is a work in progress, but Albert was set to practice for the first time on Tuesday, according to James Walker of ESPN.
Tannehill has proven his worth to some degree by not missing a game in his career despite all those sacks.
He’s been dependable. The Dolphins are in a better place with their quarterback than a lot of other teams in the NFL. But the first step toward living up to his hefty contract is moving the Dolphins to the right side of their 8-8 rut.
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