Here’s what we learned about Dolphins’ QB pursuit (and much more) at the Senior Bowl
Some meaty morsels of news as we empty our notebook following a fun week at the Senior Bowl:
▪ Utah State’s Jordan Love isn’t the Dolphins’ Plan A at quarterback. Most plugged-in people here believe Tua Tagovailoa will be the team’s target, assuming he nails his physical at next month’s scouting Combine.
But Love very well might be Plan B after impressing team bigwigs during a private meeting this week. Special advisor Dan Marino, who joined Dolphins coaches and scouts for the Senior Bowl, was complimentary of how Love comported himself, a source tells the Miami Herald.
Love has much to prove during the next three months — and also has the most to gain — after regressing his final season in college. He has all the tools you want in a 21st Century quarterback, but Love admits he “had some poor decisions” in 2019, as evidenced by his 17 interceptions.
“You’ve got to find the middle of it,” Love said Tuesday. “Be able to push the ball downfield and make those big throws. But also be smart with it at the same time. So you don’t have to force every throw and try to do too much sometimes.”
It would be hard to envision the Dolphins taking any quarterback but Tagovailoa or Joe Burrow with the fifth pick of the draft, but Love will absolutely enter the conversation later in Round 1 if they don’t land either of their top two.
“I’ve learned a lot,” Love added. “Like every interception for me is a learning moment. Obviously I had 17 learning moments last season. Some you can go back and watch film on.”
▪ Wednesday’s word that the Dolphins “fully expect” Ryan Fitzpatrick to return in 2020 came as little surprise, based on how his 2019 season ended. Fitzpatrick played some of the best football of his 15-year career last fall and was deservedly named the Dolphins’ MVP.
But that outcome was almost unthinkable months ago, when Fitzpatrick was deeply disappointed by Brian Flores’ decision to bench him for Josh Rosen three weeks into the season. During some of the darker days of the team’s 0-7 start, Fitzpatrick suggested to teammates that 2019 would be his last season, particularly since the Dolphins held his rights in 2020.
That all changed when Flores went back to Fitzpatrick late in the Redskins game, a decision that rejuvenated Fitzpatrick’s love for the game and spurred the Dolphins to wins in five of their last nine contests.
We don’t know what conversations the Dolphins have had with Fitzpatrick about his role in 2020, but based on his long-stated desire to play and Flores’ affinity for him, Fitzpatrick obviously feels comfortable about the team’s plan, even if they draft a quarterback in the first round.
▪ Don’t be so quick to write off receiver Albert Wilson’s place on the team’s 2020 roster. Yes, the Dolphins can save $9.5 million in cash and cap by cutting him, but the team was impressed with how he regained his quickness late in the season, which was a full year after sustaining a significant hip injury.
Associates expect the team to reach out to Wilson about a pay cut/restructure, but even if they don’t, the Dolphins are under no time crunch to move on from him. With more than $100 million in cap space, they could keep him on the roster through training camp even at his current salary and reevaluate his status before the opener with no difference in financial ramifications.
▪ Fitzpatrick wasn’t the only Dolphins veteran talking retirement in 2019.
Linebacker Kiko Alonso was so deeply unhappy with his situation under Flores last summer that he told friends he would hang it up if the Dolphins didn’t trade or cut him. Ultimately, the Dolphins found a taker in the Saints, and in Vince Biegel, got back a solid defense piece in return.
▪ Bobby McCain was a trooper in 2019, agreeing to play safety even though he’s best suited at nickel corner. The Dolphins will probably think hard about moving him back to his natural position this year, especially since his undersized body broke down at safety. McCain tellingly needed season-ending shoulder surgery for the first time in his career.
This story was originally published January 23, 2020 at 2:56 PM.
