One glance around the NFL and there are a handful of former players, currently making a difference with their new team. And yes, a lot of this can be blamed on mismanagement from previous regimes or coaching staffs, but it’s frustrating nonetheless.

After all, at the root of things we are fans. And regardless of how unlikely it is that a player retires in their current uniform, it pains us to watch them have success elsewhere.

On Sunday, we saw first hand what a former Dolphins’ player could do to Miami’s depleted secondary—when Jarvis Landry caught 10/13 targets for 148 yards and 2 touchdowns in a 41-24 blowout vs his former team.

Sure, we all know the talented wide receiver didn’t mesh well with former head coach Adam Gase, but we can’t help but wonder what could have been if the Dolphins found a way to keep him on the roster.

Now let’s deal with the money. Landry is making roughly $15M a year. It’s high, but it matched his production. Last year Miami have that same salary to Albert Wilson and Danny Amendola, splitting the money between 2 WRs. Is Wilson and Amendola collectively the player Landry is? — Omar Kelly (@OmarKelly) November 25, 2019

Is $15-million per year a lot of money, especially for a team unlikely to compete? Absolutely. But truth is, very few wide receivers can give you the same type of production week in and week out that Landry can. And although it would’ve been a questionable decision at the time, hindsight says that Landry would have flourished in Chad O’Shea’s NE-style offense. What a shame.

No one will ever know what could have been if Landry remained in Miami for the duration of his career. But personally, I will always be a fan of Landry, much like I will always be a fan of Tennessee Titans quarterback, Ryan Tannehill.

Truth is, Tannehill has been playing out of his mind this season. And yes, we are all aware the Dolphins had to move on from the aging quarterback. It had to be done. But make no mistake about it, what he’s doing this season in Tennessee is something many fans foretold. In fact, it looks eerily similar to the dominant 2016 season he was having, before Calais Campbell ended his season.

Since taking over for Marcus Mariota in Tennessee, Tannehill is playing his best football. Here’s a look at what the eight-year veteran has done since taking over for the Titans.

Ryan Tannehill in five starts for the Titans: 98-of-138 (71%), 1,276 yards, 11 TD, 3 INT, plus 3 rushing TD. The Titans are 4-1 in those games. He’s led them back into the playoff mix and is an intriguing name for the 2020 FA QB class. — Field Yates (@FieldYates) November 25, 2019

So, maybe, all Tannehill needed was ONE more season in Miami? Maybe the new regime should’ve given him the opportunity to prove his worth, before tossing him aside like spoiled milk. All jokes aside, I think we all agree that there is no player in the league more deserving than Tannehill.

Now, whether or not he can sustain this type of success in a perfect situation—has yet to be determined. But there is a very good chance he’s done enough in 2019, for the Titans to commit to him for the foreseeable future. And I think we can all agree, we genuinely feel good for the guy.

In the end, Tannehill and Landry were not part of the team’s future. Much like Robert Quinn, Ja’Wuan James, Cameron Wake, Olivier Vernon, and the dozens of other talented players playing elsewhere.

It is now up to Chris Grier and his current regime to find the next wave of talented superstars. And if 2019 is any indication, the Dolphins have the right coaching staff in place to develop these unique players.



This article was written by Josh Houtz (@houtz)