Kelly: Tannehill's Receivers "Did Not Like Him Last Year"
Just one week into NFL Free Agency and Ryan Tannehill's receiving corps has received a facelift.
The Dolphins dumped Mike Wallace and his burdensome salary to Minnesota after acquiring Kenny Stills from New Orleans while both Brian Hartline and Brandon Gibson were released outright. The team also signed tight end Jordan Cameron, who has the speed and hands to line up out wide.
A chunk of the reasoning for parting with what amounted to 135 receptions in 2014 was because Tannehill apparently didn't have an affable relationship with those departed wideouts, according to the Sun Sentinel's Omar Kelly.
"His receivers did not like him last year and they didn't hide it," Kelly said on WQAM's Joe Rose Show Monday morning. "All the receivers that didn't like him have been dumped except for Rishard Matthews. We're getting to the point now where if you don't like Ryan Tannehill you've got to go. And I understand that but there are players who are saying 'we're hitching our wagon to the wrong person.'
"Ryan is a trending player -- he's the 14th best quarterback in the NFL. You have no other options. You need to ride him out until the wheels fall off because there are no other options to replace him, especially right now. But he needs to be a better leader and he's working on that."
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The Miami Dolphins QB ranked 14th in quarterback rating, 14th in QBR, and was Pro Football Focus' 11th best quarterback last season after passing for 4,045 yards and 27 touchdowns, both career highs.
The Dolphins have a decision to make with Tannehill, who's entering the fourth and final year of his rookie contract. They have a May deadline to extend him a fifth-year option worth around $15 million. The alternatives include extending him to a long-term deal or letting him hit unrestricted free agency in 2016.
"This is your poop-or-get-off-the-pot season," Kelly said. "Not like there's any other option but you're about to pay Ryan Tannehill, not this year but in 2016 -- you're going to have to give him a $100 million contract. And that's just the reality of the NFL today and right now he hasn't produced a winning record in the NFL."
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