MIAMI — Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel mentioned it is “a bit of untimely” to call a beginning quarterback for this week’s recreation in opposition to the Tennessee Titans.
Talking to native media Thursday, McDaniel mentioned he had an concept of who will begin Monday evening however added the workforce will proceed to guage the place over the subsequent couple days.
Starter Tua Tagovailoa was positioned on injured reserve after struggling a concussion in Week 2; Skylar Thompson began in his place throughout final week’s loss to the Seattle Seahawks however left the sport with a rib damage and did not return.
“The quarterbacks that will likely be taking part at this time will get motion and nice alternative, and can because the week progresses,” McDaniel mentioned. “I feel I will make sure you shout it from the highest of a constructing once we know that … Skylar’s a really powerful particular person, but it surely’s the way you’re capable of do your job and with what effectiveness, and daily from the damage you get form of a scope into what it may appear to be and the way that may have an effect on him.
“So, I am actually simply balancing what he is capable of do after which with regard to the reps and what the opposite guys are doing, simply attempting to completely make the most effective choice for the soccer workforce.”
Thompson seemed to be a restricted participant in Thursday’s observe primarily based on the portion accessible to the media. Tyler Huntley and Tim Boyle break up reps throughout particular person place drills.
Boyle accomplished 7 of 9 passes for 79 yards in aid of Thompson final week whereas Huntley was listed because the workforce’s emergency quarterback after he was added from the Baltimore Ravens’ observe squad earlier within the week.
McDaniel mentioned he was “inspired” by Huntley’s progress in studying the Dolphins’ offense, however did not low cost Boyle’s efficiency in opposition to Seattle. Neither quarterback has been on the Dolphins’ roster for lengthy; Boyle was signed to their observe squad shortly after preliminary 53-man rosters have been accomplished.
Regardless of their lack of expertise within the constructing, McDaniel mentioned it is vital for whoever is beginning Monday to win over his teammates’ confidence.
“Your workforce has to consider in you. Properly, the place does that come from?” he mentioned. “Properly, it is not all of the reps that we have had all through coaching camp, we weren’t there with them. There’s an unstated, I do not know, confidence and conviction that an individual has to have the place guys consider that no matter how lengthy they’ve performed with him, that they’ve the elements to do what each considered one of them want him to.
“It was actually cool to look at the teammates of Tim’s and the way he competed with out blinking. And I simply have plenty of regard for guys that simply leap right into a scenario that is not for the faints of … I really feel lucky that the fellows that we have added are boldly attacking it and never in search of any kind of excuse.”