Who Will Be the Dolphins' Next QB?

Breaking down Miami's quarterback options heading into 2012

As the Miami Dolphins hobble towards the end of the 2011 season, one thing is certain: the franchise will undergo plenty of changes in 2012. Besides hiring a new head coach, general manager Jeff Ireland and team owner Stephen Ross will most likely also try to acquire a quarterback who can hopefully help the Dolphins shake off the curse of Dan Marino.

But who will that franchise-saving unicorn be? Let's take a look at the possibilities.

Chad Henne: the incumbent QB will be a free agent, and his season-ending injury in Week 4 robbed him of any chance to save his own job. While there is still a tiny chance the team could bring him back, it is more likely that Marino himself will suit up for Miami next year than Henne.
Odds: 14 bajillion-1

Matt Moore: Henne's replacement has performed better than anyone expected, posting a 89.8 QB rating in 12 games (11th best in the NFL). But let's not kid ourselves: Moore is more likely to be the next Jay Fiedler than the next Marino. The Dolphins have been tricked into thinking a backup could be their savior twice in the past decade based on a few starts made in relief (we're referring to Fiedler and AJ Feeley here).

Still, if none of the options below pan out, the Dolphins may be forced to trot out Moore in 2012 and hope that something better comes along before the 2013 season.
Odds: 3-1

Andrew Luck: At first glance, it seemed the Dolphins lost any shot and drafting Andrew Luck in April when they won their first game of the season. But the Indianapolis Colts may provide an opening for Miami. If they win their final game of the season against Jacksonville (which is not a stretch by any means) and the St. Louis Rams lose to San Francisco, the Rams will get the first pick in the NFL Draft, and not the Colts.

With Sam Bradford already on the roster, St. Louis may look to trade the first pick for more picks in order to build around Bradford. This is admittedly a stretch, but if the team with the top pick in April is looking to deal, Miami will have a chance to swoop in and take Luck, should Ireland have the guts to give up most of the team's other picks this year for it.
Odds: 35-1

Peyton Manning: If the Colts do get the first pick in the draft as expected, they will not pass up a chance to draft the next Manning in Andrew Luck. If so, Manning may want to get out of Indianapolis and play for a team that is not rebuilding for the future. The Colts will owe Manning $28 million next season if he is still on the roster in early March, meaning they could cut him before well before the draft if they do decide to build around Luck.

But acquiring Manning is the kind of move a team would make if it felt like it is only a quarterback away from contention, a la the Minnesota Vikings with Brett Favre in 2009. However delusional Stephen Ross may be about the potential of his team, he is surely not that delusional.
Odds: 30-1

Robert Griffin III: The 2011 Heisman winner runs like Mike Vick and throws like Aaron Rodgers. He is a junior, though, and may opt to stay at Baylor for his senior season. If he does come out early, Griffin will almost definitely be the second quarterback taken (after Luck). Unfortunately, he might not make it past the 6th or 7th pick, so the Dolphins would have to try to trade up to pick him.
Odds: 15-1

Landry Jones: Like Griffin, Jones is a junior who has yet to declare for the draft, but if he does, he could be available when the Dolphins make their first round pick in April. Of the Griffin/Luck/Jones trio, Jones is clearly the worst of the bunch, but he has caught the eye of several scouts, and he is well-suited to the West Coast offense, which heavily informs offensive coordinator Brian Daboll's scheme.
Odds: 7-1

Pick a free agent: The free agent field this offseason is incredibly week (Exhibit A: one hot target will be Matt Flynn, who is the Green Bay Packers' backup). Even so, there are plenty of names who will at least get a cursory glance from Ireland, including Kyle Orton, David Garrard and Alex Smith. If the Dolphins don't want to go with Moore and can't get any of the top three QB prospects in the draft, one of these guys will be wearing aqua and white next year.
Odds: 5-2

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