The Miami Dolphins did not mess around when it came to fixing their quarterback needs. The team signed former Chicago Bear Jay Cutler to a one-year deal worth $10 million, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter. The signing comes after Ryan Tannehill suffered an apparent knee injury that could require season-ending surgery. As happy as most fans are, this move does not mean that the Dolphins are immediate Super Bowl contenders.
Cutler does not make the Dolphins contenders immediately
Cutler played last season with the Bears and appeared in just five games.
He originally was going to be a commentator for FOX, but the situation presented gave Cutler the itch to return to play. As of Saturday, he was reluctant to play, but after talking to coach Adam Gase, his former offensive coordinator, Cutler decided to return to football.
Despite Cutler's relationship with Gase, there is no reason to think that bringing Cutler to Miami makes the Dolphins a Super Bowl contender. Cutler's stats are almost identical to Tannehill in recent years. Going to 2015, when Gase called the plays, Cutler threw for 3,659 yards with 21 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. That same year, Tannehill threw for 4,208 yards with 24 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
The stats are pretty close.
Last year, with Gase calling the plays for Tannehill, the former starter threw for 2,995 yards and 19 touchdowns. These numbers are not Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, or Drew Brees stats. Having Cutler makes the Dolphins competitive, but fans need to calm down before they buy their Super Bowl ticket.
Culter keeps Miami competitive
This may seem like a post that makes Cutler not seem like a useful quarterback, but that is also wrong. With Tannehill's numbers last season, the Dolphins still won 10 games. If Cutler can throw for similar numbers, the team can keep competing in the division. The team still has to get through the New England Patriots, but that is a hurdle they would have had to face anyway.
Cutler has plenty of options on offense. Jay Ajayi rushed for over 1,000 yards last season, while Jarvis Landry caught for over 1,000 yards. Devante Parker and Kenny Stills are also reliable receivers. This could be the best team Cutler has thrown for in his career. The team will need to average a fair amount of points on the offensive side if the defense plays like last year. The Dolphins were the 15th ranked defense in points allowed.