Ryan Tannehill, Dolphins Reportedly Restructure Contract to Create Cap Space

The Miami Dolphins have consistently said Ryan Tannehill is their franchise quarterback despite him missing the 2017 season due to a torn ACL.

On Wednesday, they reportedly backed that claim up.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Tannehill and the Dolphins agreed to a restructured contract that will convert $16.7 million of his $17.5 million base salary to a signing bonus. The move essentially acts as a guarantee of Tannehill's salary for the 2018 season while giving the Dolphins extra salary cap room.

Miami can now spread that $16.7 million over the next three seasons. The move will also force dead money onto the Dolphins' cap should they choose to move on before his contract expires. In all likelihood, this restructuring guarantees Tannehill will be on the Dolphins roster for at least the next two seasons.

Dolphins coach Adam Gase has consistently supported Tannehill returning as the team's starter in 2018. He threw for 2,995 yards and 19 touchdowns against 12 interceptions in 2016, during which he dealt with a knee injury that later became an ACL tear during camp last season.

Miami signed Jay Cutler to start following Tannehill's injury, a move that quickly went sour. Cutler threw for 2,666 yards and 19 touchdowns against 14 interceptions, as the Dolphins disappointed in putting up a 6-10 record.

Gase said last month that Tannehill has "progressed extremely well" in his rehab. 

"Well, as far as what the trainers and doctors have told me, everything has progressed extremely well," Gase told reporters at the NFL combine. "He's always going to be ahead of where he's supposed to be. He's a physical freak and we'll just kind of play this one as the week goes on, throughout the offseason.

"Really for me, I won't personally know until we get into those stages to where we can be out at practice, throwing. All I can do is hear things are going good, he's moving around well, he's able to do what he needs to do to play quarterback."

Miami has been in the midst of a roster overhaul over the last few months, so Tannehill will return to a supporting cast far different than the one he last had. The Dolphins traded running back Jay Ajayi to the Philadelphia Eagles during the regular season and then sent Jarvis Landry to the Cleveland Browns earlier this month.

That leaves Tannehill without his leading rusher and receiver from two years ago. With the team also releasing defensive stalwart Ndamukong Suh, Tannehill is clearly the franchise cornerstone—albeit of a team that could be in rebuild mode.