Tyler Huntley, Patrick Paul and more

From Mike Marchese #GoFins (@fin1fan):

Will I still be alive to see ONE playoff win? I'll hang up and take your answer on the radio.

Hey Mike, what if this was the season where things start off bad, but the Dolphins finish strong and get that elusive playoff win? I'm really upset, but keep the faith, partner.

From Jason Kirkland (@1bigdad424):

Hi Alain, do you think the O-line issues and now with Armstead were one of the reasons they drafted Snoop? Or do you think he would have been the starter with a good line?

Hey Jason, Mike McDaniel's explanation didn't address this issue, but it would make perfect sense to give the offense the best possible chance, which is what Huntley brings when having to choose between two quarterbacks with pedestrian passing career stats.

From Olive Grove Jon (@Owlizee):

Hello Alain. One way or another, the Finns have put all their eggs in one basket when it comes to Tua, even trusting him to come back rather than making a trade. Is Chris Grier playing a dangerous game or is he reassured knowing his job is probably safe?

Hey OGJ, I honestly didn't like the whole approach to the quarterback position in the offseason because the Dolphins neglected the backup QB position when they had a starter who was more likely to get injured (based on history ) than almost anyone else in the NFL season. It seems clear that the Dolphins were negligent in assuming that Tua would have another injury-free season (barring a rebound from Skylar Thompson), but I'm not sure I'm ready to say that because Grier believes his job is secure (even though it probably is). ).

From Noel B One (@NwFinsFan4ever):

It looks like the defense just needs to cover Hill/Waddle, put the Dolphins in third-and-short situations, and then just wait for mistakes to happen. Please tell me I'm wrong. I could use the boost now…

Hey, Noel, you're wrong. Hope this helps. But that's not the case because the offense is in crisis right now and something has to get them out of it and perhaps Tyler Huntley's running ability can add a dimension that will help make a difference.

From NotErnie (@atlbytes):

Missed 5 games in 2022

Missed 4 games in 2021

Missed 1 game in 2020

Missed 4 games in 2019

How could Grier not sign an experienced backup player during the offseason?

Hey NotErnie, yes, I addressed this in a column this week: The Dolphins had many opportunities to bring in a veteran backup quarterback and chose not to. However, I think this was an organizational decision and not simply Grier's (just a hunch). Regardless, it looks like a major failure for the Dolphins, especially when we see what guys like Sam Darnold and Malik Willis have done.

From Shaun Braley (@shaunbraley):

I think McDaniel's ceiling is too high to consider letting him go any time soon. For those in my boat…or perhaps for the new patience brigade: Do you think he's likely to fix his weaknesses? And which of these might be the hardest to change?

Hey Shaun, if I were to criticize McDaniel as a head coach – and understand that I really like him in that role – I think he tends to stick to his beliefs at times instead of adapting at times. And while I respect him as a player-coach who plays well with his troops, I think sometimes a tougher approach is warranted. However, as I said, I think he is a good coach.

From Google (@googleyeys):

Thanks Poup. Has Huntley taken over as Skylar's replacement or will Skylar get back next week? Obviously a lot of moving parts, but what do you think?

That's a fantastic question and I'm excited to see what happens if Huntley puts in a strong performance. However, given that they (rightly or wrongly) refused to bring in an experienced backup QB this offseason due to their reliance on Thompson, I find it hard to imagine the Dolphins moving on after just one start give him up.

From Stephan Cwynar (@stephanc101):

If Patrick Paul leaves with Terron leaving, are we thinking about moving Terron to LG to get Rob Jones out of there? He's been terrible so far this year.

Hey Stephan, Terron Armstead is a straight tackle – and a great one at that – so I just can't see your scenario working out. No matter how well Patrick Paul plays when he gets his shot.

From Mr. Success (@MrSuccess____):

Remember saying that Mike's system supported Tua and many other QBs could step in and be successful? (Paraphrase, feel free to correct me). Also, have you found that Mike has and continues to do the opposite for his QBs? Sorry for the two-for-one.

Don't worry about the two-for-one option. What I said was that the system – the Mike Shanahan system – is absolutely QB friendly and a lot of QBs can be successful with it. That means, not Any QB can be successful at it. And it should also be said that Mike McDaniel absolutely tailored his scheme to what Tua does best, which certainly makes sense, but also isn't applicable to every quarterback. So McDaniel has done everything he can to maximize Tua's talents, and he'll have to make adjustments since there are no other QBs with those skills on the roster.

From Jordan Paxton (@paxromana316):

Huntley is a mystery to me. I know about the games he played when Lamar went down. But when was the last time he saw game action? And was he productive?

Hey Jordan, Huntley's last game action came in the 2023 regular season for Baltimore against Pittsburgh, when the Ravens used a lot of substitutes because they had already secured the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs. It was also raining in Baltimore that day, so conditions were difficult. He didn't have a great performance in a 17-10 defeat, but again the circumstances weren't ideal.