The coaching staff of the Miami Dolphins is tasked with trying to make Ryan Tannehill a franchise quarterback. With a contract that likely commits him to the team for another two years, Tannehill needs to make the jump or the Dolphins are in trouble. Head coach Adam Gase has been known to make big improvements with the quarterback, but as insurance, the team is showing plenty of interest in draft prospects for help.
Offensive coordinator Clyde Christensen is the latest Dolphins' coach to jump on the Tannehill bandwagon. Gase has already praised the quarterback and now the coordinator believes he can make big improvements this year. Gase and Christensen plan on making the offense a big focus this offseason. He told the media they intend to run up-tempo and no-huddle and Tannehill will have to step up to the challenge of making it work.
"It's a lonely position in this league," Christensen said, via the Miami Herald. "It's lonely in the locker room, it's lonely on the street. It's hard to find friends. It's kind of a unique position. So I always felt like the No. 1 job I have is to be an ally, to be a safe place where a guy can talk and communicate and have a relationship where you can bounce things off and generate ideas. I visited with him and his wife [Lauren] when I came in for the interview and had a great breakfast with them. I've been extremely impressed with him. He's been extremely productive and he's played some awful long stretches of good football and seems to have all the things you're looking for."
According to James Walker of ESPN.com, the Dolphins are showing interest in rookie prospects for later rounds. With the backup position a need for Miami, the team could be eyeing a player to develop with the idea that if Tannehill struggles, they would eventually take over the franchise. Dolphins' officials have met with Jake Coker, Kevin Hogan and Dak Prescott at the Senior Bowl in Alabama. All three quarterbacks are not ready to start immediately, but could develop into something special. They would be around in the fourth round for the Dolphins to consider.
Miami has the pieces in place to make a quarterback successful. Jarvis Landry and DeVante Parker will be a deadly wide receiver tandem. Bringing back Lamar Miller would stabilize the run game. They have a few holes to fill on defense. If Gase can bring out the best in Tannehill then the Dolphins are set. However, if he struggles again, having a rookie in place could help.
