With roster cuts looming by Tuesday at 4 p.m., the Miami Dolphins will have to make a number of crucial decisions regarding some talented players that they will keep or move on from.
Rookie quarterback Skylar Thompson has been one the most intriguing cases for the coaching staff this year. He came into the league as a seventh-round pick who was destined for a practice squad spot with Tua Tagovailoa and Teddy Bridgewater holding down the starter and backup roles. However, his performance in the preseason has changed the equation.
Thompson led all quarterbacks in passer rating (138.4) and passing touchdowns (five) while totaling the seventh-most yards (450) and not throwing an interception.
On Sunday, head coach Mike McDaniel discussed Thompson’s growth and the decision that looms.
“He’s made it tough, hasn’t he?” McDaniel asked. “I think those type of players that are able to, as rookies, come in and contribute, are always really exciting, and it’s more rare that you see a quarterback doing that. It’s more than just his quarterback rating and his completion percentage. He has owned the responsibility of the quarterback in terms of all the other players on the field with him. He’s made them better by helping them get aligned, and we’ve had very few procedural issues…
“It’s rare that a guy can be a seventh-round draft pick and people outside of the organization actually know his name. I think he’s opened eyes with the way he’s played, and it’s made that situation very tricky, in terms of whether or not you can try to have him on practice squad or keep him on the 53 (-man roster).”
The numbers game is the only thing stopping Thompson from having a guaranteed spot. Is it smarter to keep a third-string quarterback that the team hopes to never see the field or an extra offensive lineman or defensive back? That’s the type of thought process that the Dolphins are going through.
One thing seems certain, as McDaniel alluded to, if Thompson hits waivers, there’s a high chance that he doesn’t make it back to Miami to join the practice squad.
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