Kyler Murray Is Exactly the Sort of Excitement the Dolphins Rebuild Needs

The Miami Dolphins have had a lot of interesting slogans over the years. "Feed the Wolf" is a personal favorite. Every season the Fins try to rally fans around a saying that fits the team's purpose. It's usually more to sell T-shirts than to motivate a 35-year-old millionaire defensive tackle, but hey, we buy it.

Heading into 2019, the Dolphins might want to consider this: "Pardon our dust as we remodel." With a new head coach, a new general manager, a new team president, and, likely, a new quarterback, a full-fledged team rebuild is upon us. It's best to just embrace it.

With most rebuilding projects there's some buzz. Consider that most construction sites are covered with artist's renditions of what is to come. They want you to picture what's in store.

For the Dolphins, that artist's rendition should be YouTube clips of Heisman Trophy winner, former Oklahoma Sooner quarterback, and recent Oakland Athletics first-round pick Kyler Murray.

The Dolphins need buzz, and they need it now. Luckily, there is a player who will likely be available at the Dolphins 13th-overall selection who is more than capable of drawing some attention — Murray.


While the smart move might be to tank next season and jump at the crop of elite prospect quarterbacks projected for the 2020 draft, the Dolphins could also try an instant injection of energy into the franchise. In that case, Kyler Murray would be a gift from above.

Murray's statistics last season were startling: 4,361 yards passing, 42 touchdown passes, and only seven interceptions. Those numbers are impressive on their own, but Murray also ran for 1,000 yards and scored 12 times on the ground. That's 54 total touchdowns, and uncountable video game highlight plays.

The knock on Murray, of course, is he's a tad below six feet tall. That's not ideal for a quarterback. But it is not even close to unheard of. Drew Brees and Russell Wilson have done just fine in the NFL. Baker Mayfield is barely six feet tall in cleats and he had a pretty decent rookie season.

Murray is more athletic than all those guys. A few inches should not be a deal breaker. Murray has proven more than worth the gamble.

One thing Dolphins fans can tell you is the team routinely turns first round picks into a fart in the wind. Rumor is if Murray isn't the choice, a defensive tackle or cornerback is next on the team's need list.

Dolphins fans have seen that movie. They've watched Charles Harris and Dion Jordan flame out. What they haven't seen is the Dolphins invest in a quarterback since Ryan Tannehill in 2012. What Dolphins fans haven't ever seen is a dual-threat playmaker like Kyler Murray under center.

It's time for the team to swing for the fences and take a chance on Murray. The payoff is too great, the downside too low.

Worst-case scenario is he's terrible along with the entire team. In that case, they'll tank anyway.