DAVIE, Fla. -- New Miami Dolphins offensive coordinator Clyde Christensen spent the past 14 seasons on an Indianapolis Colts coaching staff working with Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck, who are two of the best quarterbacks of the past 20 years. Therefore, it is only natural for Christensen to have high expectations at the position this year when he works with Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill for the first time.

Christensen inherits a quarterback who has been an enigma through his first four seasons. Tannehill has shown potential and posted back-to-back 4,000-yard seasons. But he has also struggled with consistency, winning third downs and fourth quarters, and getting the Dolphins over the hump and into the playoffs. Tannehill has yet to post a winning season and is 29-35 as a starter.

Despite his ups and downs, Tannehill is making a good first impression with Christensen.

“I love the way he works,” Christensen said. “I love the way he’s attacking it. (We are) still way in the getting-to-know-each-other process (with) him trying to learn a system. To judge him yet would be unfair, and that’s what I told him.”

Christensen, along with head coach Adam Gase, will work closely with Tannehill to make sure Year 5 is a success. Christensen is replacing former offensive coordinator Bill Lazor, who was fired during the season after the offense went in the tank. The play-calling was predictable and there were some internal concerns that Tannehill did not have enough freedom in the offense, which is something he says he’s looking forward to this offseason.

According to Christensen, this spring's organized team activities and minicamps are more of a "teaching period" instead of an evaluation of Tannehill. Christensen is giving Tannehill a clean slate and will not formulate a firm opinion of strengths and weaknesses until the entire offense is installed and the quarterback has a full understanding of the scheme.

“The evaluation will come training-camp-wise,” Christensen said. “Training camp, now, you got to be able to apply this stuff. That’ll be the first time I talk to you where I’ll say [where Tannehill is]. ... But I think he works. He learns. It’s new. He has embraced it. Like everybody else, I think it has been a fun teach.”