How Ryan Tannehill Extension Impacts Miami Dolphins' Present and Future

Quarterback Ryan Tannehill is the present and the future of the Miami Dolphins franchise. 

Those were the words of Dolphins general manager Dennis Hickey, but Hickey hardly had to open his mouth to confirm that fact after the Dolphins signed Tannehill to a six-year, $96 million contract extension with $45 million guaranteed, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

If you think that's a lot of dough, imagine how much it could have been if the Dolphins had waited until after some other notable quarterbacks had signed new deals—Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck, Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton and Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, to name a few.

Fortunately for the Dolphins, there are escape routes built into the contract. It averages out to $16 million per year, but the contract is essentially a yearly play that gives Tannehill $25 million guaranteed over the next three years and gives the Dolphins the ability to get out of the contract in three years if he doesn't continue to develop.

That's good news for the Dolphins, since Tannehill hasn't yet justified such a rich contract, but it's also good news for Tannehill, since he has already shown dramatic improvement in his three years in the league to date. 

Season	Comp	Att	Comp %	Yds	YPA	TD	INT	Rate
2012	282	484	58.3	3294	6.8	12	13	76.1
2013	355	588	60.4	3913	6.7	24	17	81.7
2014	392	590	66.4	4045	6.9	27	12	92.8
Total	1029	1662	61.9	11252	6.8	63	42	84

Of course, he has yet to show improvement in the one area fans care about the most: Winning. Thus far, Tannehill has not yet posted a season of more than eight wins. That will have to change immediately, or the perception of this contract could go downhill in a hurry.

That being said, Tannehill isn't the only one affected by the signing. 

It will also have an impact on Hickey, head coach Joe Philbin and executive vice president of football operations Mike Tannenbaum. All three men will be indelibly tied to Tannehill's performance at this point. 

As Tannehill's perception goes, so goes their perception. If Tannehill fails, the extension will be perceived as a desperation attempt to cling to the first sign of hope the team has had at the quarterback position since Dan Marino hung up the cleats at the turn of the millennium. If Tannehill succeeds, the Dolphins front office and leadership will be considered nothing short of prophets, taking note of his trajectory and projecting continued growth.

At this point, continued growth should be expected. Not only have Tannehill's numbers increased in each subsequent year in the NFL, but in 2015, he will be surrounded by arguably the most talented group of pass-catchers he's ever had at his disposal.

The dramatic overhaul at the wide receiver position has led to the exodus of Mike Wallace, Brian Hartline and Brandon Gibson and the acquisitions of rookie DeVante Parker and veterans Greg Jennings and Kenny Stills. Pair those three with 2014 rookie breakout Jarvis Landry, and the Dolphins are looking at a group of wide receivers that has far more potential than the previous batch. 

However, potential isn't good enough on its own; the Dolphins need Tannehill to get on the same page with his new set of receivers. 

"Obviously it's a challenge to get on the same page," Tannehill said of working with a brand-new set of weapons. "It's been great to work with those guys starting back in March on our own and now once the offseason program started. Seeing those guys improve with our route concepts, the way we run routes, being able to coach those guys through the process, has been really fun for me."

The time for fun is nearing its end, though, and the Dolphins need to work hard this summer if everyone is to work as a unit when the bullets are real in the regular season. 

Another mutual benefactor of the extension is offensive coordinator Bill Lazor. It was Lazor's offense that helped Tannehill post some of the most efficient numbers of his career, and if Tannehill continues to improve, Lazor could be in line for a head coaching job sooner than later.

Likewise, if Tannehill continues to improve and the Dolphins don't get over the hump and into the playoffs, Philbin could be the one on his way out, with Lazor getting an in-house promotion to the head coaching job. 

Bleacher Report's Cian Fahey illustrates why the relationship between Tannehill and Lazor has been so rewarding for both parties:

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While playing in an offense that has held him back more than propped him up, Tannehill has consistently improved his individual play over his first three seasons in the NFL. If the Dolphins were uncertain about his future with the franchise before this season, they shouldn't have any doubts now. Even if Philbin doesn't stay on as the head coach, every effort should be made to keep Tannehill and Lazor together.

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Moreover, Lazor can now continue to build his offense around Tannehill, knowing that there will be some semblance of stability at the game's most important position for at least one-third of a decade.

Tannehill's continued presence with the Dolphins affects the coaches, the front office and his supporting cast, but the one person most affected by Tannehill's extension is Tannehill. 

It's time for Tannehill to emerge as the leader of the team. Not just in his actions—though that's always a good starting point. With the big financial investment, the Dolphins have shown their long-term faith in Tannehill. He has clout. It's time for him to use that clout by holding teammates accountable. 

Because if the Dolphins are ever going to get above .500, it's going to be because Tannehill led them there.