Ryan Tannehill to be an elite quarterback in 2016?

Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill has shown some progress since being taken No. 6 overall in 2012. He posted back-to-back 4,000-yard seasons in 2014 and 2015 but the wins didn’t come. Much of that was due to Joe Philbin being the head coach, which is why they hired Adam Gase to help bring Tannehill to the next level of quarterbacking.

And that has left the NFL world wondering if Tannehill will break out and become an elite quarterback. The last two years, he seemed to be on the brink but couldn’t quite break through to that level. Miami Dolphins receiver Greg Jennings, who has played Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers, was asked on ESPN’s First Take, was asked how far off Tannehill is from elite.

Jennings told First Take “I don’t know. And my saying, ‘I don’t know.’ means far he’s far off. “We don’t know who Ryan Tannehill is because he hasn’t been  given him the freedom, the luxury, to call plays, make checks, to do the things that elite quarterbacks have the opportunity to do.

“When you don’t your quarterback give that freedom, it shows that you don’t trust him.”

Gase was widely praised for his work with Jay Cutler in 2015 as the Bears’ offensive coordinator. He had Cutler play to his strengths and helped reduce some of the terrible decisions he made in the past. But Cutler still had the freedom to read the defense and call the proper play accordingly.

Will Gase give Tannehill the same freedom he gave Cutler?