This past week, I discussed the rumors and suggestions that the Miami Dolphins should consider signing former players Xavien Howard and Ryan Tannehill. I then asked the following question-
Would you favor signing either Howard or Tannehill or even one of those two? If yes, why? If not, why?
Below are some of your thoughts and answers-
Mrperson26 thinks the idea of bringing X back, but as a safety, might be the way to go. It's not an idea that I had thought of, but it's also not the worst idea I have seen as of late!
One thing I don’t understand is why there is no discussion of Xavien being brought back as a safety. It’s a natural transition for corners who are good cover guys and solid tacklers - rod woodson, Charles Woodson, and aeneas Williams all did it later in their careers.
I agree that the time was ripe to move on from X as a corner, but if Weaver’s system employs three safeties often, I think X’s ball skills and understanding of coverages would lend themselves well to safety play, and the quickness he has lost over the past couple years wouldn’t be as much of a factor either.
Redwood_ doesn’t seem down with either!
No and No. Next.
PhinstantReaction seems to believe that Tannehill is an all-around better QB than Tua.
Not wise to bring in a smarter, more experienced and more talented backup at QB if you’re trying to force your starter to be better than he is
21Dave doesn’t sound like he will have Howard over for dinner any time soon!
F%$K X with a stick and passion!!
Tannehill can’t throw the long ball!!! Hahahha
Although we could continue to #BlameTannehill!!
Spok507 is somewhat split on the question...
I’d take a pass on X. He made it very clear, his ego is much bigger than the team wants to deal with. He’s no longer a top corner (or someone would’ve picked him up on at least a one-year deal by now) and I doubt he has suddenly changed his views to accept a lesser rol and a lot less money. I just think he’d be a problem. Sorry X, but you kind of wore out your welcome with your attitude and demands.
As for RT17... I don’t know. On one hand, I do think he’d be an upgrade form White, who I never believed would be able to lead this team if he had to. He’s a fun story and easy to root for, but just doesn’t have the talent to be a starting QB if called upon. Tannehill has the experience, but I’m not sure his game works with McDaniel’s offense. While he’d probably love throwing to our receivers, is he quick enough? I know he’s probably smarter than Tua, but I’m not sure he can throw as quick, whereas I believe Tua having to react quick instead of think helps him play better. But, as I said before, Tanny would be an upgrade to White. But I’d rather see where Skylar is at this point and if he’s developed enough to be QB2. He has the best arm of the three.
Thomas23059 is on board with X coming back and also converting him to safety but is all kinds of out on Tannehill.
Call me crazy, go ahead you know you want to.
Howard - would love to see this happen. See if maybe he can make the conversion to safety like Rod Woodson did. Baltimore used a lot of DBs, so someone as good as Howard still is should get plenty of playing time. They could probably sell him on a lower cost deal to convert to safety with the idea that if he excels it sets him up for one more big payday.
Tannehill - thanks for the memories, but no thank you. Bottom line, if Tua goes down, Miami is probably toast. But if I have to pick between Tannehill and Mike White, I’m taking White. Tannehill threw for over 4000 yards twice in his career, and his best seasons came with a young Derrick Henry. Mike White has played most of an NFL game 7 times, and in those 7 games he has over 2000 yards. So his yards per game, if you exclude the games where he didn’t play much, works out to a 4000 yard season. He throws far too many interceptions, but at least he can move the ball through the air.
TheRoo1 is a no on both but with vastly different reasoning.
So, how much of the gross overpayment is Howard offering to give back?
At this point, after his mid contract salary stunt, he needs to be reminded that “what’s good for the goose, is good for the gander”.
As to Tanny, I’ve always thought he got a raw deal. Poor support, and in Tennessee he did improve. He has been a class act as a person, and would be a step up from White.
But, bringing him back will start frequent calls for QB substitutions. Tua naysayers will instantly become Tanny lovers, and call for him loudly. With that in mind, I’d be a no vote on Tanny.
acdc1a sees Tannehill as a top backup if brought back but does not see Howard taking a fairly small contract from the Phins.
Tannehill is instantly one of the top 5 backup quarterbacks in the league. X isn’t going to take garbage money. He retires before that happens.
Call_for_the_Priest’77 is not against bringing Howard back and is not sold on the idea that he would not again start for the Phins if he was, in fact, added to this roster. Would also be open to Tannehill coming back...
I like the idea of X coming back to the team but only on a team friendly contract of course. X’s acceptance of such would show a stark turning point in his attitude towards money. In the past he has placed himself well ahead of the team’s considerations. Not really a judgement against X, just more of a fact. It is what it is and it’s hardly an exclusive attitude just to him. And of course, the bigger point here would be his acceptance of a team weighted deal. Even his waffling “(X) has closed the door on returning to Miami” to his now apparently leaving that door open, can be hushed by this change in attitude.
I would disagree that outright, he would not be a starter on the team. I’m not saying he would be one, just that it makes no sense to conclude with certainty that he could not line up opposite his buddy from last year once again. Adding X to the competitive mix of Fuller, Smith, Kohu, Apple and others makes perfect sense to me if he’s going to be on this team. If we had a clone of Jalen Ramsey to play opposite his true self that would be different. However, I am nowhere near ready to endorse any of our other guys as being anywhere near his calibre.
I also like the idea of trying him in a safety role like some of you have mentioned below. Perhaps a hybrid safety / corner / LB role similar to what Eric Rowe did for us a few years ago.
Were it not for cap reasons, I don’t think we ever would have dropped X. I think he still is a good player who should be mightily motivated to show the league he still has the goods - if he still has the goods! Perhaps he’s no longer the boldface type ‘X’ but still a guy who could help the team and maybe more so than we think.
I am generally skeptical about retreads who had a significant stay their first time with the team. I can’t think of a single case of this nature where such a player has flourished to any significance. Of course in Tannehill’s case, we wouldn’t be saddling him with the weight of the team again. And should he play behind our group of (healthy) OL starters, I don’t think he will be passing blood in relief anymore (for those new to the team or possessing short memories, Tannehill was sacked, pressured and hit so much throughout his Dolphins tenure that this literally happened more than once. Some crash test dummies had it better than poor RT!).
We would need to know his attitude of course. Would he still have the hunger and passion that saw him through those punishing years, but now as an advisor / cheerguy from the bench? Could he step in cold for the first time as a pre-defined QB2? And ok, what the hell, has he still got the goods to do something?
I think he probably does have some goods left. I’m skeptical however that he would want to come back. I think he would prefer a situation where he could put himself into the mix for a starting job as his career opportunities are diminishing rapidly. Miami is no longer that reality for him. In fact, if he has reached the physical and or mental point where he would consider a virtually outright QB2 role, I would have to count that against him in the motivational department. He would be certain to find some competitive situation that would see him get more money than a complacent QB2 role in Miami, so that can’t be a factor.
That aside, if he expresses a desire to play here and is cool with a friendly team amount, I would drop Mike White in a hurry to pick up RT again. I don’t think it will happen but it would be interesting, good for Tua and reasonably encouraging for the fans and team.
Yarganaught is down with both if the price is right!
I’d be in favor of signing both players... provided the price was right and they knew their role as back-up. Besides, it’d give me another chance to wear my Tannehill jerseys.
SuperG! says X is a no go while being in on Tannehill at the same price as White.
If I were Grier, I’d tell X to go kick rocks. As for RT17, if he’d be willing to accept Mike White money, then sign him up as he’d be an instant upgrade at the backup position.
Miami7 is up in the air about Howard while being in on the Tannehill idea.
I just don’t think ‘X’ has a whole lotta interest in hitting/tackling so much (could be wrong). I would think ‘coverage wise’ he’d be pretty well suited at this point of his physical maturation to play S, but I’d have to dig a little deeper (GII/Earl?), which I’m not so inclined, to actually see/determine whether I think he’d thrive in a more physical role? Face value - I don’t think he cares to stick his nose in and play more of a ‘hitters/physicality’ role?
Tannehill I do think would actually be a sound ‘get’. But, there again, I haven’t really seen enough of Mike White to honestly have a good opinion on what he brings to the table. Tannehill would be fine in a caretakers role for a few games here or there. IMO
Luvs2drnk2.0 is most likely correct on both, especially Tannehill who is going to be looking for somewhere that he can likely become the starter.
I’d have to pass on both, mainly because both are likely looking for more money than we’d be willing to pay. Both are likely waiting for June 1st to roll around when teams will have extra money to sign them. X will likely sign with a contender to provide depth and chase that ring (I’d venture KC, BAL, PHI, SF as likely spots). Tanny probably still wants to start and will want to go to a team with an aging veteran (Jets, Rams, SEA) or has a questionable starter (Saints, NYG, CAR, LV) that could give him a chance to start and earn one last big contract.
Dolfriend seems open to both!
TH > White
X as 3rd Safety?
bring back the whalers says yes on Ryan and no on Xavien.
I don’t mind the tanne idea, but would rather give a young humgry cb reps than x at this point. X will sign somewhere else, everyone waiting until june...
MiamiSkye wants to wait and see with White before replacing him.
Even if X plays for the league minimum, he would still make more money than ramsay with all the dead money. (Unless that money is void, I’m not a contract expert)
Tannehill is an option but I’d like to see how white does this off-season. I’m not sure it’s worth another 1.7 dead for someone who knows the playbook and team chemistry well. Hopefully we never see him besides on the sidelines.
Dolfanjoe says stick with the current plan until something breaks!
Dam James this is an interesting question of the Nite ! Howard i would say no to unless we occur injuries in camp early. We need to develop some of the younger players we have now, and having them play preseason will let us understand not only what we have trainable and talented. But we do not have to keep and can still move on ! Even after cutdown day, if the scouts are doing there jobs players should be on the radar as improvements. As for Tanny ? Would he be an improvement over White ? I really do not have any gauge of how White has improved himself as we really only seen him play a little. The Man has talent, and showed it a few times with the Jet’s. Tanny would cost us how much ? I don’t know how many times last year i screamed at Tua to run for that first down and then slide ! Tanny always had the ball’s to do that ! Very experienced QB, works well operating a run game offense ! And you can say he never had the weapons he would find here at this time ! Keep in mind, Tanny can very comfortably sit out the preseason and wait for that inevitable injury to a main backup on some team. And he will probably get paid quite handsomely. I guess what i am saying is, don’t change anything unless you have to or forced to. But that may come...........................By the way, we have a second round CB who needs to show he belongs and is fighting for a starting spot !
daytonadolfan is a thumbs up on Tannehill and a thumbs down on X.
I’d be okay with Tannehill as a reliable backup but no to Howard . X is too far down the diminished skill rabbit hole to suit me . Given a decent “O” line Tua’ and or Tannehill could thrive with the weapons available
There was no consensus on this one but that’s a good thing as far as debates go. Also no consensus on the reasoning for bringing or not bringing back either player. Some of the reasoning either way was for sure things that I had not thought of. Thank you again to everyone who took the time to answer our question of the day. We will return tomorrow evening with another question of the day post.
