Greg Jennings: Dolphins need to give Ryan Tannehill more freedom
Miami Dolphins receiver Greg Jennings told ESPN on Tuesday that fifth-year quarterback Ryan Tannehill should be given more freedom to run the Miami offense.
Jennings said earlier this month that the Dolphins have held Tannehill’s hand throughout his career, and that “babying” him has hindered his growth as a player. He reiterated those comments in the ESPN interview, saying the Dolphins will never know if Tannehill can emerge as a true leader of the team if they do not give him the opportunity to do so.
“We don’t know who Ryan Tannehill is, but we want him to be this great guy, this great quarterback, this franchise quarterback, but no one has given him the freedom, the luxury, to call plays, make checks, to do the things that a great quarterback will have the opportunity to do.”
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Tannehill completed 61.9% of his passes in 2015 for a career-high 4,208 yards with 24 touchdowns. The Dolphins finished the season with a 6–10 record, a performance Jennings believes could be improved by Miami’s management displaying more faith in Tannehill’s abilities.
“This is no knock on Ryan. This is not Ryan’s choice. He wants to be free,” Jennings said. “He wants to have that freedom, that liberty at the line of scrimmage, as most quarterbacks do. When you show your quarterback that you trust him, you give him freedom.
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Tannehill is entering the second year of the six-year, $77 million contract extension he signed with the Dolphins last May.
