Tua Tagovailoa, Tyler Huntley, Skylar Thompson, more

Part 2 of the Miami Dolphins On SI mailbag before the Tennessee game:

From Jerry (@UFGatorJer):

Does Snoops' mobility on Monday night free up Hill and Waddle to have more production?

Hey Jerry, in the sense that he can stay alive a bit longer while rummaging around in the bag, yes, that might help. I'm not entirely sure to what extent, but I don't think I would overstate these effects.

From Mark Jones (@chiefkfc):

Hey dude, I love your work…this offense screams speed sometimes…why the hell is this so difficult for the Dolphins…??

Hey Mark, that's never part of this insult, to put it bluntly. I know the play calls tend to be elaborate, so I think that plays a big part in it.

From Rico's RoughNecks (@TheFin22):

Where do you rank Tua in terms of athleticism (arm strength, accuracy, agility, climbing, speed, etc.) among the 32 starting QBs? I put him 31st, just above Kirk Cousins.

Hi Rico, I'm not sure I see the need to do that because I think it's pretty proven that Tua has physical limitations even though his accuracy is among the best in the NFL. If we want to get there, the biggest issue for me is that Tua is undersized, without the quickness and quickness that could blunt the impact of guys like, say, Kyler Murray.

From Ed Helinski (@MrEd315):

How do you feel about Tyler Huntley starting? I think he gives the Dolphins the running and scrambling dimension that is missing on offense? Agree or disagree?

Hey Ed, there's no question that Huntley brings a different dimension to the quarterback position, and I think the Dolphins would be foolish not to take advantage of that a few times against Tennessee. I expect a better performance from Skylar Thompson than last week, but he needs a better performance from the O-line and I still caution against expecting too much.

From Chris Bustin (@ChrisBustin13):

Hello, Alain. How can fans determine this season if the defense is better under Anthony Weaver than it was under Vic Fangio? Is there a particular metric that you like the most? Thanks!

Hey Chris, my measure of good or great defense is that moving the ball always (or almost always) looks like a major accomplishment to an opponent. You can see this when you watch teams like the Steelers, Chiefs, Ravens and Vikings, who often look dominant. I think this is more important than any other statistic, although pressure and insights are important to me.

From Mark Lever (@MarkFinsfan):

What do you think are Snoop Huntley's strengths and weaknesses?

Hi Mark, Miami Dolphins On SI contributor Dante Collinelli wrote a great, in-depth scouting report on Huntley that goes into this in depth. But my reader's summarized version is that his strength is his agility and his weakness is accuracy, which is very inconsistent.

From Michael Gura (@MichaelGura4):

I have no intention of insulting McDaniel. But it looks/sounds…different. He's babbling/stammering even more than usual lately, his game day coaching is pathetic, and he looks disheveled and disinterested. Big mistake, rewarding mediocrity with a contract extension. No sense of urgency! Thoughts?

Hey Michael, how could anyone be offended by your comment? LOL. Whatever criticisms you may have of his game-day coaching – and I haven't liked some of his decisions so far this year – I would never describe him as disinterested. This is a guy who is fully invested in his job and the team. As for his ramblings, let me tell you that this is nothing new. He has always been very verbose in his media sessions, but perhaps some fans notice it more or it bothers them because the team is going through a rough patch.

From Yeti Eddy (@Rainorshine7775):

Let's see how you answer that. Do you think the offensive side of the ball will stop playing hard with TUA out? If so, why?

Pretty curious about the line “Let’s see how you answer that.” What does that mean? Anyway, no, I don't see a difference in how hard the team plays, but it's clearly not nearly as good, and that largely has to do with McDaniel putting everything together offensively to match what Tua is called Substitute player best at I don't have the same skills and haven't done the thousands of practice repetitions with the receivers as Tua. But effort? No, I don't see that.

From Big Ern McDolphin (@dana_buice):
I noticed a change in the media in the 72 hours. I noticed it with you, Chris Perkins, and most clearly with Barry Jackson. . I think someone from the Dolphins gave you all a pep talk about Skylar Thompson. The first words that come to mind when I think of Skylar's piece are: shy, indecisive, imprecise and hesitant. He pulls out of his pocket when there is no reason for it. He doesn't trust what he reads. He has poor pocket presence. You can never be successful in the NFL with these traits. I think the man played in about 8 games and started 4. He started a playoff game. He has thrown the ball over 150 times in the NFL. His numbers, to be kind, were substandard, even as a substitute, and that's very kind. He showed you exactly who he is. Believe him. What did i do wrong? Why don't the Dolphins believe the tape Skylar released? Why should Dolphins fans believe he'll be anything but terrible when he plays?

Hey Dana, do you realize that Thompson has played over two quarters of regular season football in the last two years? And QBs can evolve (do I really need to point to another QB you're familiar with)? Is it possible that we all – Perk, Barry and I – recognize that Thompson didn't look good against Seattle and that there's still a chance he could be a good replacement? Whether that actually happens is certainly debatable, but what would it say about the Dolphins if what we saw from Thompson in Seattle is exactly who he will always be? It would be gross mismanagement by the front office not to secure a better replacement in the offseason, and that's exactly what I wrote last week based on Skylar's performance in Seattle. That being said, doesn't Skylar deserve another start, especially considering how little help he got from the O-line? Oh, and no, if anyone here has changed their mind – and I personally haven't – it wasn't because of a message from the team.

From Carl Bueckert (@BueckertCa94374):

What impression do you have of how MM and CG handled this season, knowing that this team has so many flaws? Thank you, sir.

Hey Carl, as I wrote two weeks ago, this current four-game stretch should be a referendum on the offseason decisions to stand by the backup QB and IOL and replace Christian Wilkins with quantity over quality (with all due respect to Calais Campbell). because he just can't play as many snaps as Wilkins), and the first test failed pretty miserably. But let's see how the next three games develop.

From Pajake Japat (@D1nonlyJP):

I hope Tua can come back this year and finish the year strong. However, I think the organization can no longer deny that we have another problem at the quarterback position. If you had to guess, what will the approach be next year? Draft…trade…?

Hey Pajake, that's a great question and I'd be lying if I said I know because I don't think the Dolphins know either. I think a veteran would be preferable to a rookie unless the Dolphins had a high pick in the first round (which would spell bad news for this season). And then the question would become what type of veteran to take (established starter or journeyman), which would dictate the path to getting him. But in my opinion this conversation is still a bit premature.