Miami Dolphins Can't Afford To Lose QB Matt Moore

Make no mistake about it, Ryan Tannehill is the Miami Dolphins’ starting quarterback. Since coming into the league, Tannehill has not missed a start and has shown promising signs of improvement. Still, it only takes one weird hit to sideline a player for season and derail a team’s campaign, as was evidenced by the string of quarterback injury woes that plagued the Arizona Cardinals this season. That’s where backup quarterback Matt Moore comes in.

Moore has been the security blanket for the Dolphins for years, and the fact that he provides a solid alternative in the event of an injury makes him indispensable. Taking a look back in team history reiterates this point perfectly.

In 1972, the Dolphins went undefeated, an accomplishment that has yet to be matched in NFL history. What most people don’t know about that team, however, is that the Dolphins played the majority of the year with a backup quarterback. Bob Griese was the starter going into the year, but he suffered a broken ankle in Week 5 that sidelined him until he came in as a substitute during the AFC Championship Game. Veteran quarterback Earl Morrall started the rest of the year, and without his leadership, there is no doubt that the undefeated season would have never happened. The fact that Morrall was such a reliable replacement for Griese kept the team on track, and Moore fills that role for the Dolphins today.

Couple the historical precedent for having a strong backup with the current state of affairs in the AFC East, and it is made abundantly clear that Miami would be foolish to part ways with Moore. The Buffalo Bills and New York Jets are both potentially looking for a new starting quarterback, and assuming that the top two rookie options, Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston, are off the board prior to their picks, it stands to reason that they would look at a veteran option.

Moore figures to be one of, if not the top option for teams looking for a new starter, and letting him go to a divisional rival would be tantamount to letting the fox in the hen-house. His knowledge of the Dolphins’ offense would give the Bills or Jets a seat behind the curtain, and in the hands of a defensive wizard like Todd Bowles or Rex Ryan, that could prove fatal for Miami.

Is it desirable to shell out millions on a player who you hope never sees the field? No, but the alternative is definitely worse.