This much we know about the Miami Dolphins: Their quarterback situation is a mess this season.

Due to injury, Miami spent approximately $30 million on the position with little return, and that's been a big reason why the team is 4-7. Jay Cutler ($10 million) and Matt Moore ($1.775 million) haven't been the answer, and Ryan Tannehill ($18 million) never played a down this season after tearing up his knee in the first week of training camp.

With that said, Miami must start thinking about how to fix its most important position for next season and beyond.

The time has arrived for the Dolphins to select a quarterback in the first or second round of the NFL draft. This is something Miami hasn't done since drafting Tannehill, 29, No. 8 overall nearly six years ago. The Dolphins would be wise to end that trend next spring for various reasons.

The Dolphins could draft a quarterback, such as UCLA's Josh Rosen, and let him learn behind Ryan Tannehill. Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

It is safe to assume Cutler will not be back and resume retirement once the season is over. The Dolphins still have Tannehill under contract for $17.5 million next season. It is a sizable number but not extraordinarily high for a starting quarterback. That means it is possible Miami could -- and probably should -- just stick with Tannehill for at least one more season, barring any major setbacks in his recovery.

But the draft is about more than the short term. What if Tannehill struggles in 2018 or isn't the same quarterback after back-to-back, season-ending knee injuries? There are risks involved for Miami to automatically assume Tannehill will return to his 2016 level (or better), when he went 8-5 as a starter. Even if that’s the case, the Dolphins still need quarterback insurance.

This is a good year for college quarterbacks. UCLA's Josh Rosen, USC's Sam Darnold, Louisville's Lamar Jackson and Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield are among the possible first- or second-round talents who have the potential to turn a franchise around in the right situation. All have differing skill sets that could fit into varying systems, depending on a coach's needs. Miami potentially has the additional advantage of giving a drafted quarterback time to learn the NFL game behind Tannehill if the team decides to go that route.

Sure, the Dolphins have plenty of needs. They have holes at guard, tight end, linebacker and running back. They might need a right tackle depending on the fifth-year option worth approximately $9 million for Ja'Wuan James. A first- or second-round pick will be needed to fix these various issues. However, as this season proved, the Dolphins are going nowhere until their quarterback issue is resolved.