As the clouds broke over the Baptist Health Training Complex and the rain began to fall Thursday afternoon, the Miami Dolphins quarterback situation – albeit somewhat ironically – became a bit clearer.
Skylar Thompson, flak jacket and all, made a few throws but none over 10 yards. Tim Boyle tried to flash some mobility during his warmup. And Tyler “Snoop” Huntley got some extended reps with some notable players.
The writing on the wall: a quarterback decision has been made — barring a terrible week of practice — even if coach Mike McDaniel won’t give any details.
“I have in my mind what I think, how it could play out, however it’s a little premature for a multitude of reasons and the very last being the competitive advantage piece,” McDaniel said Thursday afternoon.
With a rib injury likely to keep Thompson out for Monday night’s matchup against the Tennessee Titans, the quarterback competition ultimately comes down to Boyle and Huntley, both of whom have been with the Dolphins for less than a month. And while it’s fair to question whether either has fully mastered a complicated offense, both claimed to have learned more each day.
“First time you’re a little iffy,” Huntley said Thursday afternoon. “You’re not settled but then you start putting it all together. Pedals. After awhile, you’re going to start standing up.”
Added Boyle: “Just like with anything, repetition makes everything slow down.”
McDaniel, suprisingly, has been in a similar situation.
“Jimmy’s [Garoppolo] first game was against Chicago on the road… so we went to a wristband system that really we all kind of are steadfast to, to this day,” McDaniel said, referring to his time as a run game specialist for the San Francisco 49ers in 2017. The Niners had traded for Garoppolo on Oct. 31 and by Dec. 3, he was their starter. “There’s always challenges in the league, and sometimes they have to do with the player that touches the ball on every play.”
What made Garoppolo’s run that first year so special, according to McDaniel, is that he possessed a unique quality that galvanized the team to go 5-0 to end the regular season .
“There’s an unspoken, I don’t know, confidence and conviction that a person has to have where guys believe that, regardless of how long they’ve played with him, that they have the components to do what each and every one of them need him to do,” McDaniel added.
Both quarterbacks share some of that quality, McDaniel continued, saying that he’s “seen a lot of teammates really gravitate” to Huntley and Boyle, whom the Dolphins signed on Sept. 17 and Aug. 29, respectively.
“I just have a lot of regard for guys that just jump into a situation that isn’t for the faint of heart, and you’re talking new language,” McDaniel said. “It takes some self-confidence from within to be able to do that, and I feel fortunate that the guys that we’ve added are boldly attacking it and not looking for any sort of excuse.”
Neither Huntley nor Boyle gave an indication who would be the starter come Monday.
“We got to get a win no matter who’s out there,” Boyle said Thursday afternoon, later adding “that we all get ready like we’re going to start even if I’m going to be the backup or third string.”
“I’m just here to help the team win,” Huntley said.
On the topic of potentially starting for his hometown team, the Hallandale Beach native grinned from ear-to-ear.
“That would be amazing,” Huntley said. “That’s just a child’s dream, being able to play for your home team. It’s something that everybody don’t get to come across. It would mean everything in the world.”
Regardless of who lines up as the starter, the Dolphins offense still has bigger problems. Core principles of the run game haven’t worked. Big plays have consistently gashed this defense. And All-Pro tackle Terron Armstead’s concussion could keep him out Monday, a huge blow to an offensive line unit that has clearly taken a step back.
Quarterback, however, remains the most important position in football.
“There’s no player really on the team that that player doesn’t touch,” McDaniel said. “I mean indirectly or directly; your special teams and defense are playing for that guy. Everybody, whether you’re a runner or an offensive lineman, trying to come off on the right snap count, or you’re a skill position trying to get a pass target, all of these things, everyone’s job, they’re depending on that person doing their job.”
Which is why, like everything McDaniel does, QB1 will be decided not just by him and Chris Grier but the players as well.
“It’s not overly weighted — you’re just interested to see if your forecast is similar, just early impressions,” McDaniel said. “I listen to the strongest statement that I think teammates can make. Asking them is nice, but I’m also the head coach and generally players are not trying to overly plateau one way or another with their teammates because they are good guys and they love all of them.”
“What I like to lean into is what I see through all sorts of nuances when 11 people play football,” McDaniel added. “You can just tell, it’s the best way that I can explain it, when guys are believing in the signal caller to really go and do what we have to do. So these practices are extremely important for me for that reason.”
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