Unless the Miami Dolphins are satisfied with Matt Moore at quarterback, they're running out of options to upgrade at the position.
Peyton Manning is happily tucked away in Denver, and Matt Flynn is in Seattle, but with the draft just weeks away, the Dolphins still have a chance to grab their man in Texas A&M's Ryan Tannehill, who's widely considered the third-best quarterback in this year's class.
Former Indianapolis Colts general manager Bill Polian believes the Dolphins risk losing out on Tannehill unless they make a bold move to acquire the Minnesota Vikings' No. 3 pick.
"The most likely competition for Tannehill is the Cleveland Browns at No. 4 overall. That means, in order to assure themselves of selecting Tannehill, the Dolphins would need to move up to the No. 3 pick in a trade with the Vikings," Polian wrote in a column for ESPN.com.
"In my mind, this is a trade you must make if you're the Dolphins. There is no reason to gamble and hope that he falls to No. 8. With the new CBA, Tannehill's position as a QB and his contract wouldn't be an impediment to moving up to No. 3 to select him. And even if the Browns do pass on Tannehill at No. 4, there's no guarantee a team like Kansas City won't trade up to take him."
If the Dolphins are serious about a makeover at quarterback, Polian is correct.
Cleveland's perceived interest in Tannehill is the key to the top half of the draft, and it's not a scenario Jeff Ireland can control unless he takes the Browns out of the equation. One year ago, Cam Newton, Jake Locker, Blaine Gabbert and Christian Ponder all were snatched up in the first 12 picks. The idea that Tannehill will fall safely to Miami at No. 8 is a risky proposition for a team that can't afford to lose out again.
