Tannehill Gives Philbin and Ireland Valuable Time and Flexibility

Philbin and Ireland likely have no more than three years here to prove they're capable of making this team a winner. Sometimes coaches don't even get that long. See Cam Cameron.

Order of business number one was to draft a franchise quarterback. That seems to have been accomplished.

With Tannehill's having the ability to start year one, the projection is that he'll be much better year two, and even better year three, when Joe Philbin and Jeff Ireland will really be under Stephen Ross's microscope.

That essentially gives Philbin and Ireland three rounds of building the team for the better -- this offseason, next offseason, and the one after.

If Tannehill had come in and crapped the bed, or even just looked like he needed lots of development before he could start, the emphasis for Philbin and Ireland would've probably shifted to trying to win now to make sure they wouldn't be one-and-done like Cam Cameron. That in turn would have prevented the team from doing the rebuilding it needs to do.

With Tannehill's play, however, they can now take a much longer-term view of what they're trying to get done. Now all of the sudden they can trade a Vontae Davis, despite his ability help the team win now, because it secures them a valuable resource that can contribute to the team's future, whether that be in the form of a draft pick or a player in trade.

They can cut a Chad Johnson, despite what he would've done for the team this year, because it benefits the rebuilding of the team's culture.

I'm not saying they aren't trying to win games this year, but I do think Tannehill has made it possible for them to take a much longer-term view of what they want to get done.

They now in essence have three years to build what they're trying to build, rather than perhaps just one year of impressing the owner enough to keep them around long-term.

In other words, the drafting of Ryan Tannehill looks to have been a huge success that may have totally reorganized the approach Joe Philbin and Jeff Ireland can take to building this team.

Hats off to Ireland and Philbin for pulling the trigger on Tannehill, because I really believe that down the road, we as fans are going to be very grateful for what that has done for this organization.

Not only because it gives us a franchise QB, but because it gives the guys running the team the time and the flexibility to do the long-term rebuilding they desperately need to do IMO.

We can now build this team the proper way, instead of having the prospect of a revolving door at head coach.