MIAMI — Hometown hero Tyler Huntley will become the Dolphins’ third starting quarterback in three weeks.
Coach Mike McDaniel said Saturday that Huntley — who was born in Dania Beach — will start on Monday against visiting Tennessee (7:15 p.m. ET, CBS-4, ESPN).
With Skylar Thompson limited by a rib injury, Huntley will start and Tim Boyle will be the backup. Tua Tagovailoa remains in concussion protocol and on injured reserve. Why did McDaniel make the decision to start Huntley?
“One thing that has been supremely obvious to the team since he got here,” McDaniel said, “is that he started multiple and many big games, and as a quarterback, he understands exactly what is required to win over teammates, take the place of somebody else and assert their own personality and their own skill set and their own traits within the offense and lead people.”
“We’ve been very high on Snoop, high enough to give him a roster spot on the 53. His maturation has been expedited by him. He’s done an impressive job assimilating into the locker room.”
His elusiveness and escapability should be a plus. He has 115 rushing attempts for 509 yards (4.4 per carry) in his NFL career.
“Everyone knows he can run,” McDaniel said. “I think everyone knows he can pass. He does a good job at both. I’ve always valued a quarterback with legs.”
“The ability to make plays is a broad, overarching statement. You can do it in a multitude of ways. I’m expecting him to be comfortable making plays in various ways. I see him being able to utilize his skill sets within the framework of the offense.”
Huntley — who has been with the Dolphins for a week and a half — has gone 3-6 as an NFL starter, all filling in for Lamar Jackson for Baltimore, which signed him as an undrafted rookie out of Utah in 2020.
In his career, he has eight touchdowns, seven interceptions and a 79.0 passer rating and completed 64 percent of his passes.
Quarterbacks coach Darrell Bevell said he was impressed with Huntley’s passing skills while watching Baltimore Ravens tape before the Dolphins signed Huntley. The Dolphins have considered making Thompson an emergency third quarterback for Monday’s game.
Tagovailoa started the first two games of the season but left in the third quarter of the Week 2 game against Buffalo because of a concussion. He’s not eligible to return until Oct. 27 against Arizona, but it’s unclear if he will be ready to play by then.
Thompson, who beat out Mike White for the No. 2 job in training camp, started last Sunday’s 24-3 loss at Seattle but left in the third quarter with a painful rib injury and was replaced by Boyle.
McDaniel addressed other issues:
— Left tackle Terron Armstead and cornerback Kendall Fuller remain in concussion protocol and will miss Monday’s game. McDaniel was not ready to name a starter at either position.
Rookie Patrick Paul and veteran Kendall Lamm are the options at left tackle.
At cornerback, Kader Kohou, rookie Storm Duck (who is nursing a shoulder injury) and Ethan Bonner could get time playing opposite Ethan Bonner. The Dolphins could elevate one of two cornerbacks on their practice squad: Nik Needham or Isaiah Johnson.
Duck and cornerback Siran Neal have been limited this week with injuries.
— Running back Raheem Mostert, who has been sidelined with a chest injury since the second half of the opening game, “is trying” to be ready for Monday, McDaniel said.
But “we are not going to prematurely put ourselves out there if we are going to take steps back and not protect ourselves,” McDaniel said. “He wants to [play] in the worst way.”
Mostert said Friday that it’s a “toss-up” if he plays on Monday.
— McDaniel said he “wouldn’t be optimistic” about linebacker David Long Jr. playing against Tennessee but “with a guy like that, if he can pull it off, he has the mindset to. We will see how the next 48 hours plays out.”