Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill left Thursday's training camp practice with what appears to be an injury to his left leg. Tannehill suffered the injury on a non-contact play while scrambling out of the pocket.
Dolphins Ryan Tannehill went down after scrambling to the sidelines. He fell awkwardly on what could be his left leg, where he has a brace.
— James Walker (@JamesWalkerNFL) August 3, 2017
Here's a look at the play:
Go back watch video of Tannehill "injury" appears to plant the left foot and pulls his left leg high immediately in pain 📷 via Dion Demming pic.twitter.com/iimXLpntYp
— Chris Fischer (@ChrisFischer07) August 3, 2017
The Dolphins are pinning their hopes on Tannehill in 2017, so this obviously isn't great news. The Dolphins lost Tannehill late last year against the Cardinals in what was originally believed to be a serious knee injury but did not require surgery and instead chose to wear a brace on the knee. Yes, the left knee, the same one that the Dolphins quarterback apparently injured in training camp on Thursday.
Naturally people immediately began clamoring for Colin Kaepernick.
#Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill suffers non-contact injury. Is it that knee he injured in 2016? If so, guess who's out there? Kaepernick. #nfl
— tom korun (@tkorunwfts) August 3, 2017
Career
— Heath Cummings (@heathcummingssr) August 3, 2017
Tannehill 62.7 CMP% 4.0% TD 2.5% INT 7.0 Y/A 6.7 A/YA 86.5 RAT
Kaepernick 59.8 CMP% 4.3% TD 1.8% INT 7.3 Y/A 7.3 A/YA 88.9 RAT pic.twitter.com/mkHUjJCChW
Herm Edwards discussing injury to Tannehill: "It is almost an embarrassment to the league" that Kaepernick is not on an NFL roster.
— Donté Stallworth (@DonteStallworth) August 3, 2017
Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill goes down during practice...Colin Kaepernick? pic.twitter.com/zX26GFt9Wv
— DUNK360 (@theDUNK360) August 3, 2017
This one's for the Tannehill fans...I think Kaepernick could do just as good of a job running the offense as Tannehill. There, I said it.
— Jake Winderman (@jakewinderman) August 3, 2017
Ryan Tannehill Innured?!?!?
— Five Star Steve (@shadowistheshow) August 3, 2017
Dolphins Better Call
1-800-KAEPERNICK !!!!!
Even Uncle Luke wants Kaepernick down in South Beach. (That's Luther Campbell from 2 Live Crew for you confused millennials. Go back to your avocado toast.)
Me and @AndySlater had a long conversation about if Tannehill could not go I think Ross would not hesitate to bring in Kaepernick
— LUTHER R CAMPBELL (@unclelukereal1) August 3, 2017
Campbell isn't wrong -- Dolphins owner Stephen Ross pointed out that he believes if Kaepernick can help someone win, he would "hope" that a coach would sign Kap.
BUT....if something serious did happen to Ryan Tannehill I'm positive Steve Ross would endorse signing Colin Kaepernick. pic.twitter.com/GmakRPldaq
— Omar Kelly (@OmarKelly) August 3, 2017
The guy who might make more sense before Kaepernick? Jay Cutler, the retired former Bears quarterback who is now a Fox Sports analyst. Cutler hasn't completely closed the door on playing in 2017, although he did say he is retired.
But the connection here would be with coach Adam Gase, who was Cutler's offensive coordinator with the Bears.
And for the record, and I'm speculating, but I sense Adam Gase would give Jay Cutler a call before giving Colin Kaepernick a ring.
— Omar Kelly (@OmarKelly) August 3, 2017
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk even believes the Dolphins would have pursued Cutler this offseason except Gase didn't want to undermine Tannehill.
This is accurate speculation. I believe Gase didn't pursue Cutler only because he didn't want to undermine Tannehill. https://t.co/nqvYXCSjs5
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) August 3, 2017
Of course, this could all be nothing at all. Tannehill could end up being fine. But if the injury is serious -- and there is reason to believe it could be because of how Tannehill's season ended and the lack of surgery last year -- there is going to be some heated discussion about backup quarterbacks.