Miami Dolphins' Calendar for Quarterback Decision-Making

The Miami Dolphins have been searching for the heir to Dan Marino since he retired in 2000. And with a confluence of circumstances, the Dolphins have a few opportunities to do so that have most fans looking at the glass, for once, as half-full.

This year, it's almost like the Dolphins are riding a quarterback-searching train. Along the way, the Dolphins have several opportunities to get off the train and to figure out whether each stop is worth getting off, or if the next stop seems like a better option.

There are a few key stops along the ride, and it just so happens that their order works out perfectly for Miami.

March 8

It's getting laborous to refer to March 8 as "the day when Peyton Manning's $28 million roster bonus is due," so from here on out, we'll just call it "P-day."

And when "P-day" finally rolls around, you can imagine those phones will be ringing early and often.

The Dolphins have long been considered among the front-runners in the P-day sweepstakes, as owner Steve Ross is "infatuated" with Manning, but there will be plenty of teams willing to call up and inquire should he become a free agent.

But as Dolphins fans know, they aren't exactly sitting pretty on the salary cap. According to Ben Volin of the Palm Beach Post, the Dolphins don't have an abundance of cap space.

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According to official salary-cap information obtained by The Palm Beach Post, the Dolphins head into the free agency period—which begins at 4 p.m. March 13 —having already committed more than $116 million against next season's salary cap, which is expected to be about $123 million. ...A handful of the Dolphins' top players chew up a significant portion of their cap space. The five top salary-cap numbers account for more than $47 million, or 38 percent of the projected total. The top 10 players account for more than $71 million, or 58 percent of the cap.

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If the Dolphins want to have a fighting shot to sign Peyton Manning, they'll have to clear up some space. 

And then, of course, there's the slight possibility that he doesn't become a free agent at all. 

March 13

When the Green Bay Packers neglected to put the franchise tag on quarterback Matt Flynn, they made sure that the second-best quarterback on the free-agent market was actually going to get to the free agent market.

It just so happens that Flynn is likely No. 2 on the Dolphins priority list, and it just so happens he's the second one they'll have a shot at.

There's the well-publicized connection between Flynn and Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin, who worked together in Green Bay. And now, according to David Hill of NBC 6 Miami (with a hat tip to Pro Football Talk), Philbin is said to be pulling pretty hard for Flynn.

To be frank, I'd be concerned if Philbin wasn't pulling hard for Flynn; that could be seen as somewhat of an indictment on Flynn (or perhaps a testament to Jeff Ireland and Steven Ross' tight grip on the reigns of the organization).

April 26-28

With the NFL draft coming down the pike, the Dolphins will have a few more opportunities to land a quarterback. Could they move up to get Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III with the second overall pick? Could they stay put at No. 8 and take Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill? Maybe they'll get a developmental prospect and ride out a year with Matt Moore?

The Dolphins need offensive linemen pretty badly and would love to get one at No. 8, but if they haven't yet landed their quarterback, this will likely be the spot they do it.

The Summer Tunnel

Of course, April 28 isn't the end of the line. The Dolphins could, in theory, find a free-agent quarterback to add to the roster over the summer either via undrafted free agency or a potential roster move.

If the Dolphins are unable to find a quarterback through all that, it's sure to be a harrowing ride through the tunnel, and the Dolphins will likely be deep in thought the whole way, wondering which stop they should have gotten off at instead.

But remember, Dolphins fans: Glass half-full.

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