It has been a crazy week for the Miami Dolphins but now its time to take a deep breath and assess where we are today and what we can expect in the coming days, weeks, and season.


Numerous reports are out there at the moment and from reliable outlets that the Dolphins are in talks with Jay Cutler’s representation about Jay coming out of retirement to sign with the Dolphins. Clearly head coach Adam Gase feels Tannehill will have the surgery and miss the entire 2017 or miss so many weeks that by the time he gets back the season’s fate will have already been determined. And because Miami needs to sign another capable quarterback to pair with Matt Moore, out of all of the realistic options out there either via free agency or trade the Dolphins and more importantly coach Gase feel Cutler is at the top of the list.


It does make sense in that Cutler knows the offense Gase runs and in case you haven’t looked at the calendar Miami has a real game to play in about four weeks. So there will be a short learning curve here and Gase can get Cutler ready quicker than another quarterback who would be coming in totally cold to the offensive system.  I am sure Gase and the front office considered long and hard about signing Colin Kaepernick, Robert Griffin III, or whether Tony Romo could be talked out of retirement but at the end of the day baring any late breaking news it is going to be Jay Cutler.


So what is Miami getting with Cutler? Well for one they are getting a guy who last year injured his thumb and missed time only to return and then get injured again by damaging his labrum and then miss the reminder of the season. Cutler is 34 years old coming off a major surgery and hasn’t done one OTA or day of training camp yet. If Cutler showed up in camp on Monday (which one would have to consider to be best case scenario) you figure it would be a long-shot for him to play in any preseason games and I highly doubt he would play Week 1 of the regular season vs Tampa. Although playing Week 1 vs Tampa wouldn’t be totally unrealistic.


With that all said though, Jay Cutler isn’t signing with Miami to be holding a clipboard and to be a back-up quarterback. Cutler is signing with every intention of being the starting quarterback when he is ready whether that is by Week 1 of the regular season, or Week 3, or Week 5…Cutler is here to be the #1 QB.


I know there is a contingent of Matt Moore lovers out there in Dolphins-land and first let me say I never understand you people. Matt Moore looked good in a few games back in 2011 and you have never let go of that and think of him as the next Troy Aikman or something. I just don’t get it but god love ya for never wavering on your love of Moore. Matt Moore has been a free agent multiple times since 2011 and not one team, not one head coach, not one GM has ever said Matt Moore is the real deal and I need him as my #1 QB for a season. And guess what Adam Gase, Mike Tannenbaunm, and Chris Grier aren’t going to be the first to be on that list either.


Matt Moore is a nice back-up QB who if he has to start two or three games in a season in a pinch is fine. To think Moore can lead a team for 16 weeks and beyond is beyond foolish on every level.


Back to Cutler, whether he takes control as the starting quarterback position come Week 1 or Week 2, 3, or 4 he is the guy in 2017. Make no mistake about it people. Matt Moore can look great in training camp, in the preseason games, heck if he has to start a couple real games in September and has the team winning that is great. At some point Moore will be shown the bench and Cutler will take control. Would it be fair? Probably not but its the reality of the situation.


I have heard and read that if the Dolphins coaches bring in an “outsider” and replace Matt Moore as the starter there will be a divided locker-room. Nothing could be further from the truth and that is a silly thing to think. For one, they aren’t bringing in just anyone Jay Cutler has been around the block, he has a name in this league and put up some good seasons playing in this league. He also has the endorsement of head coach Adam Gase. Who by the way is a head coach all of these Dolphins players like and openly admit they like. If Gase believes in Cutler the rest of the locker-room will believe in Cutler and get in line.


I know, I know Jay Cutler won’t be smiling at press conferences or be cracking jokes with the media when he is being interviewed. And when the camera shoots to him standing on the sideline he will have the “stink face” on and look miserable. I don’t care! Honestly no fan should care about that as it doesn’t matter if Jay smiles or looks like he is having fun at the end of the day. This is a job, a job he has done fairly well for many years now. Jay isn’t going to be that vocal leader to rally the troops and that’s ok. It just means guys like Mike Pouncey and Jarvis Landry will need to step up and fill that role this season.

The other interesting thing here by bringing in Cutler is this; if Miami brought in a Kaepernick or RGIII and they played well, there would be tremendous pressure on the organization to keep them after the season to either compete with Tannehill or replace Tannehill in 2018. With Cutler you get none of that drama at all. This is purely a one year deal where Jay is gonna run back to the TV booth after this season.  Do I think this was a big factor in who Miami targeted this week when looking at replacements for Tannehill? No, but I do think it’s a nice side perk of the situation.


In the coming days and weeks we will break down who Jay Cutler is as a quarterback and how he fits into the offense with the weapons Miami will put around him. As of tonight though as this crazy week in Dolphins-land is coming to an end it looks like for 2017 it will be Cutler or Bust for the Miami Dolphins.


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