Miami Dolphins: Is the Ryan Tannehill era over?
The Miami Dolphins have missed making the playoffs for a second consecutive season and big moves could be coming this off-season.
One of the biggest questions around the team concern starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill and whether or not he will remain with the team in 2019.
The Dolphins head into the final game of the season sporting a disappointing 7-8 record, with 8-8 the best possible scenario in head coach Adam Gase's third season in charge.
Tannehill himself has come under fire for poor performances after throwing a decisive pick-six against the Jacksonville Jaguars this past weekend.
But that one play isn't the only concerning thing when considering Tannehill's performances and long-term future with the Dolphins.
This season, Tannehill has once against suffered injuries that have seen him miss five games, just a year after having to sit for an entire season.
His health is somewhat of a concern, with the 30-year-old not playing a full 16-game season since 2015.
Additionally, the eighth-overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft has failed to live up to expectations since returning - throwing 17 touchdowns and only 1832 yards while earning an even 5-5-0 record across his ten starts.
In 2019, Tannehill is set to cost the Dolphins $26,611,666 in cap space, while earning $18,725,000 in base salary.
The heavy cap that Tannehill will cost, as well as concerns around his ability to stay healthy and put up solid numbers, could very well see the Dolphins part ways with the seven-year veteran.
If the Dolphins do decide to bring the Tannehill era to a close, there will be plenty of movement in the upcoming off-season.
In Free Agency, the Dolphins could look to the likes of Teddy Bridgewater as a potential stop-gap starter while looking to the draft for their long-term solution.
Bridgewater is currently the New Orleans Saints' backup QB, sitting behind future hall-of-famer Drew Brees.
In two seasons as a starter with the Minnesota Vikings, Bridgewater threw for 6150 yards, 28 touchdowns and 21 interceptions.
In the early days of his career he looked to have a lot of potential, showing some mobility with 402 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the ground in the same spell.
Injuries derailed his career, but now he could be looking to compete for a starting role in 2019.
If the Dolphins have plans to let Tannehill go, then they should be looking hard at Bridgewater, or another free agent QB, to help guide the team through the 2019 season while a first-round pick is spent on one of the top QB prospects available.
The best QB prospect available in next year's draft is Ohio State's Dwayne Haskins, who threw 4580 yards, 47 touchdowns and only 8 interceptions last season.
SB Nation projects Haskins to be snapped up by the Jacksonville Jaguars at 9th in the draft, with the Dolphins sitting at 15th.
If Haskins is available before the Jaguars pick, the Dolphins might have to consider making a trade to climb up and snag him away from their Florida rivals.
If the Dolphins stand pat, however, they could land Oregon's Justin Herbert, who has weaker numbers than Haskins with 2985 passing yards, 28 touchdowns and 8 interceptions.
Both QBs could develop into starters in the NFL, if given the right tools to succeed, but Haskins would certainly appear to be the better prospect at this stage of his career.
Regardless of who the Dolphins pick in the draft, it will be determined by what happens with Tannehill.
There is one more game for the Dolphins to play, against the Buffalo Bills, and it could be the last time Ryan Tannehill is seen playing for the team.
