Tyler Huntley, Patrick Paul and more

From Mike Marchese #GoFins (@fin1fan):

Will I still be alive to see ONE playoff victory…….I’ll hang up and take your response on the radio…….

Hey Mike, what if this is the season where things start out bad but the Dolphins finish strong and get that elusive playoff victory? I feel exasperation, I really do, but keep the faith, partner.

From Jason Kirkland (@1bigdad424):

Hi Alain, do you think the struggles of the O-line, and now with Armstead, are part of the reason they started Snoop? Or do you think he would have been a starter with a good line?

Hey Jason, Mike McDaniel’s explanation didn’t address this issue, but it would make perfect sense to give the offense the best chance possible, which is what Huntley brings to the table when you’re deciding between two quarterbacks with career passing stats.

From Olive Grove Jon (@Owlizee):

Hi Alain. Somehow, the Finns have put all their eggs in one basket when it comes to Tua, to the point of even counting on him returning rather than making a trade. Is Chris Grier playing a dangerous game or is he comfortable knowing his job is probably safe?

Hey OGJ, quite honestly I didn’t like the whole approach to the quarterback position this offseason because the Dolphins neglected the backup QB position when they had a more injury-prone starter ( according to history) than any other in the NFL. It seems clear that the Dolphins were negligent in assuming that Tua would have another injury-free season (barring a Skylar Thompson rebound), but I’m not sure I’m ready to say that’s because that Grier believes his job is safe (even though it probably is). ).

From Noel B One (@NwFinsFan4ever):

It seems like defenses should just cover Hill/Waddle, put the Dolphins in third-and-short situations, then wait for mistakes to occur. Please tell me I’m wrong. I could use the boost now….

Hey, Noel, you’re wrong. Hope this helps. But that’s not the case because right now the offense is in a mess and something has to get it out of it, and maybe Tyler Huntley’s running ability can provide a dimension that helps make a difference.

From NotErnie (@atlbytes):

2022 5 matches missed

2021 4 matches missed

2020 1 matches missed

2019 4 matches missed

How could “missed picks” Grier not have signed a veteran replacement this offseason?

Hey NotErnie, yeah, I covered this topic in a column this week that the Dolphins had plenty of options to bring in a veteran backup QB and decided against it. I think, however, that this was an organizational decision and not just Grier’s (just a hunch). Either way, this looks like a big miss on the Dolphins’ part, especially when you see what guys like Sam Darnold and Malik Willis were able to do.

From Shaun Braley (@shaunbraley):

I think McDaniel’s ceiling is too high to consider letting him go anytime soon. For those in my boat…or maybe the new patience brigade…do you think his weaknesses are something he’s likely to correct? And which ones might be hardest to change?

Hey Shaun, if I were to criticize McDaniel as a head coach – and understand that I like him in that role – I think sometimes he falls prey to sticking to his beliefs instead of sometimes adapt. And although I respect him as a players’ coach, who plays well with his troops, I think a tougher approach is sometimes necessary. But like I said, I think he’s a good coach.

From Google (@googleyeys):

Thank you Poupe. Has Huntley replaced Skylar as a backup or will Skylar recover next week? Obviously a lot of moving parts, but what do you think?

That’s a fabulous question, and I’m curious to see what happens if Huntley has a good outing. Considering they refused to get a veteran backup QB this offseason due to their reliance on Thompson (rightly or wrongly), however, I have a hard time seeing the Dolphins passing on him after just one departure.

From Stephan Cwynar (@stephanc101):

If Patrick Paul gets away with Terron, are we looking at moving Terron to LG to get Rob Jones out of there? He’s been horrible so far this year.

Hey Stephan, right off the bat Terron Armstead is a tackle – and a great one at that – so I just don’t see your scenario playing out. It doesn’t matter how well Patrick Paul plays when he makes his shot.

From Mr. Success (@MrSuccess____):

Remember saying that Mike’s system supported Tua and that there were plenty of other QBs who could step in and be successful? (paraphrase, feel free to correct me). Also, did you understand that Mike did and actually does the opposite for his QBs? Sorry about the two for one.

No worries for the two for one. What I said is that the system – Mike Shanahan’s system – is absolutely QB friendly and many QBs can succeed there. That said, not every QB can be successful. And it also has to be said that Mike McDaniel absolutely tailored his plan to what Tua does best, which certainly makes sense, but also doesn’t apply to every quarterback. So McDaniel has done everything to maximize Tua’s talents and he has to make adjustments because there is no other QB on the roster with that skill set.

From Jordan Paxton (@paxromana316):

Huntley is a mystery to me. I know the plays he played when Lamar went down. But when was the last time he saw game action? And was he productive?

Hi Jordan, Huntley’s last game was in the 2023 regular season for Baltimore against Pittsburgh when the Ravens used a lot of backups because they had already clinched the #1 seed in the playoffs in the AFC. It was also raining that day in Baltimore, so conditions were difficult. He didn’t have a great outing in a 17-10 loss, but again, the circumstances weren’t ideal.