Dolphins Counting On Tannehill And Parker Becoming Dynamic Duo
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DAVIE (CBSMiami) – The Miami Dolphins new head coach has a bit of a reputation for getting the most out of his offensive players.
Adam Gase may be a first time head coach but he's become known for running some of the league's top offenses and making things work with whatever roster he inherits.
In Miami, Gase finds himself surrounded by a Dolphins offense that has underachieved in recent seasons.
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill was an ascending talent during the first three years of his career but took a step back during the 2015 season.
Despite having some very skilled playmakers around him, such as receivers Jarvis Landry and Kenny Stills and tight end Jordan Cameron, the Dolphins offense sputtered last season.
Wide receiver DeVante Parker, Miami's first round pick in 2015, was slowed during training camp and early in the season by a foot injury and never seemed to get fully involved in the offense until the final weeks of the campaign.
Tannehill was excited when the Dolphins drafted Parker but it took time for the two to get on the same page after the young wideout had to stay off the field for so long.
"I think it was really frustrating, especially early on, just dealing with the foot injury and having a repeat of it," said Tannehill. "The last six to eight games of the year, his confidence start to build. He made more and more plays it seemed like as the weeks went on. He got more comfortable and more confident and was attacking the football. He's starting at that point now. We can build from where he is at now, and the sky is the limit for him."
Now Gase is looking to Tannehill and Parker as the cornerstones to a revamped offensive scheme, but it all starts with the quarterback.
"His intelligence is off the charts, which I feel like has been pretty well documented," Gase said of Tannehill. "He has done everything we've asked him to do. He spent a lot of time on things outside this building. It just shows in the way he's able to call plays in the huddle and how aggressive he has been as far as learning the offense."
One thing Miami's coach seems to be well aware of is that expectations have to be tempered when it comes to Parker.
This is his first healthy offseason with the team and there are a lot of things that he's learning on the fly, not to mention that it's only been a few days of non-padded practices.
"He's doing a good job as far as knowing what to do," Gase said of Parker. "He's battling [CB Byron] Maxwell a lot it seems like. He has had some snaps where he has won, and he has had some snaps where he has lost. He's feeling his way through. When you're learning a new offense and trying to get the details of the routes down and you're being challenged by a guy that's practicing really well right now, it can be a challenge for a young player."
Week 1 of the 2016 season is still over three months away and there will be a lot of hours spent on the practice field and in the classroom between now and then.
Even with all the work still to do, there is a quiet confidence building between Tannehill and Parker.
During his four years running Miami's offense, Tannehill has yet to have a true number one receiver.
Mike Wallace was never a dominant presence and as good as Jarvis Landry has been, his success has been primarily between the numbers.
Parker has a rare combination of size and speed and could be a major difference maker on Miami's offense.
"I expect big things out of him," said Tannehill. "I expect him to be a heck of a football player [and] a guy that other teams fear, because he can make big plays down the field [and] inside. He's a big-bodied guy. He's a guy that we're going to want to use in the red zone and we're going to want to use him on third downs and to stretch the field, as well."
As for Parker, he has one focus and it has nothing to do with personal accolades.
"I don't have goals for myself. I just want to win games."
