The Miami Dolphins made a big decision this past week when they announced that Tyler Huntley would take over the backup job behind Tua Tagovailoa. No one was standing up and applauding.
Huntley isn’t a bad quarterback; he just isn’t a good one. Granted, his time thus far with the Dolphins has not been good, but that could more or less be attributed to Mike McDaniel’s unwillingness to change his offense to help Huntley get acclimated quicker. The Dolphins did him no favors.
The Dolphins needed Huntley to get on the field quickly. Miami was a mess at quarterback with Skylar Thompson banged up and Mike White gone. Tim Boyle wasn’t the answer. Huntley went 1-2 as the starter in his three-game stretch and inevitably, like all the Dolphins quarterbacks, got hurt.
Now, Huntley has been given the role of playing behind Tua. McDaniel didn’t have much of a choice. The last time he attempted to put Thompson on the field resulted in a fumbled hand-off that went back for a defensive touchdown. His time on the field lasted two plays.
Still, Huntley isn’t the answer any more than Thompson, Boyle, White, or any other castoff quarterback Chris Grier can pull out of the free-agent market. He is simply a band-aid holding it all together until the Dolphins can get out of the season and make a bigger move.
Dolphins are more likely to retain Tyler Huntley than find a new quarterback
What happens if Tagovailoa gets injured again? It wouldn’t necessarily mean another concussion. It could be a wrist, a knee, or anything else. Tua will miss time again, and the Dolphins will not be prepared for it whenever it happens.
Grier isn’t going to invest money in a backup because he can’t afford it. He won’t spend a draft pick on one because he has bigger needs. So, the logical conclusion is to run it back with a guy like Huntley instead of overpaying for someone who can help the team actually win.
This isn’t a knock on Huntley. He is good for spot duty coming off the bench when he is needed. Maybe start a game the following week if necessary, but the Dolphins can’t let their season ride on his capabilities.
Miami making the switch from Thompson to Huntley is the most underwhelming move Mike McDaniel could have made, but at least it makes sense, considering the alternative.
