As the Chicago Bears get ready to draft a quarterback who will look to lead their franchise for the foreseeable future, former Miami Dolphins first-round pick Ryan Tannehill can help them out. Tannehill is well past his prime and has dealt with injuries, but as an emergency option and someone to teach their rookie quarterback how to succeed in the NFL, there aren’t many better options.
Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report listed the Bears as one of the best fits for the former Dolphins quarterback.
“The Chicago Bears have the first overall pick in 2024—a pick that will all but certainly be used on USC quarterback Caleb Williams. But there is precious little experience behind Williams in the Windy City. Tannehill’s experience over 11 pro seasons could come in handy as Williams learns the NFL ropes.”
Having a veteran in the quarterback room will only help Caleb Williams, who the Bears are expected to draft.
Tannehill Best Remaining Quarterback on the Market
The Miami Dolphins could use a player of Tannehill’s caliber to sit behind Tua Tagovailoa, but that’s unlikely given how things ended in Miami. Tannehill tore his ACL, dealt with Adam Gase, and ultimately couldn’t get the Dolphins over the hump.
While the Dolphins haven’t exactly gotten over that hump, the past two years with Tagovailoa have ended in a playoff appearance and a future that’s much brighter than it was under Tannehill.
However, all of those struggles weren’t because of Tannehill. The Dolphins had plenty of other problems and that should be recognized.
More than five years later, Tannehill has dealt with injuries again but has continued to prove that he’s an above-average quarterback when healthy. On the market, Tannehill is the best-remaining quarterback free agent.
Davenport feels the same way with the remaining players on the board.
“Ryan Tannehill has started over 150 NFL games for the Miami Dolphins and Tennessee Titans. He led the Titans to the AFC Championship Game in 2019. But almost three weeks into free agency, the 35-year-old is still looking for a new home.
“On some level, that’s understandable. Tannehill’s 2023 campaign was an injury-marred mess—he barely threw for 1,600 yards, tossed three more interceptions than touchdown passes and posted a passer rating of less than 80. But as this year’s quarterback carousel slows, Tannehill is probably the best veteran option left—and there are still teams with shaky situations under center in 2024.”
How Tannehill Can Help the Bears
At worst, Tannehill has shown he can come in and make plays when healthy. If the Chicago Bears have to play Tannehill at any point next season in a scenario where he landed with the team, things have already gone wrong.
He wouldn’t bring the Bears much value on the field, but more so in the locker room.
That’s just as valuable at times as being a good player on the field, especially with a rookie quarterback who’s expected to be the face of the franchise.
The Bears and Miami Dolphins have seen in the past how tough it is to hit on a quarterback in the draft, no matter how highly touted of a prospect they are. For the Bears, they can’t make the mistake of having whoever they draft not have a veteran to help throughout the process of transitioning into the NFL.
