Ryan Tannehill Has ‘The Upper Hand’ In Miami Dolphins Quarterback Competition

The Miami Dolphins have a quarterback competition between Matt Moore, free agent signee David Garrard and first-round pick Ryan Tannehill this offseason and, unlike the Seattle Seahawks competition, the Dolphins have a player who is emerging from the group.

According to Reggie Bush on NFL Total Access, Tannehill has the upper hand in the quarterback race.

“Ryan Tannehill, he’s a really good quarterback, he’s very smart,” Bush said. “Obviously he has the upper hand coming into an offensive system that he already knows basically. Now he really just gets to work on his skill set as a quarterback, improving and he has that advantage on his side.”

Bush goes on to say that the competition is healthy for the team and will only make everyone better. Whoever comes out on top will have had to earn it and Tannehill can only benefit from competing with NFL vets.

“It’s not my decision,” Bush said. “May the best man win. I always feel like competition is healthy on a team at every position. When your back is against a wall, when someone is breathing down your neck that’s going to bring out the best in you. I feel like Ryan being here around David Garrard and Matt Moore – some veterans who have been in the game for awhile – it’s only going to help him. It looks like they’re all getting along well together and he’s doing a good job so far. He’s a smart kid.”

Whether it is Tannehill, Garrard or Moore under center, the Dolphins need to think about who can get them the farthest. Could the Dolphins really make a push for the playoffs with a rookie signal-caller?

“When you think about a rookie quarterback, obviously there is that disadvantage of just not having the wisdom and knowledge of being in the NFL,” Bush said. “It’s been done before, and I think [Tannehill] can do it.

“Like I said, with the amount of veteran leadership that we have on this team, he’s already coming into an offense that he knows, Mike Sherman is a great coach and offensive coordinator who is really working with him day in and day out, I think he’ll be fine. Obviously we’re going to do some things to protect him as a young guy, but at the same time I feel like he can get the job done if he is called on. We look forward to having him out there.”

That’s a strong endorsement from one of the team’s veterans. If Tannehill can impress the rest of the players in the huddle and earn their respect, the Dolphins could show everyone why they had the faith in the Texas A&M product to make him a top ten pick.

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