(Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE)
The Miami Dolphins have been criticized by fans for not having their quarterback ducks in a row. Apparently the team feels they now have that and are cutting lose a guy that was brought in to calm the masses. Jay Glazer is reporting that David Garrard will be released by the Miami Dolphins ahead of their season opener this Sunday.
“They didn’t want me to, and I didn’t feel like I was quite ready to move with guys flying around me,” Garrard said, via the Miami Herald. “But I feel good. I know I’m not quite exactly where I want to be, but it felt good just being back out there, realizing I can still drop and do all of those things.”
The Dolphins picked Garrard up in free agency this year but he has been sidelined after knee surgery in early August. Around that same time the Dolphins announced that rookie quarterback Ryan Tannehill would be their Week 1 starter, and the writing was on the wall for Garrard.
It’s been a tough go of things for the ex-Jaguars quarterback. He was supposed to be the heir-apparent to the Mark Brunell era being selected in the fourth round of the 2002 Draft, but after Tom Coughlin was fired, the new regime headed up by Jack Del Rio, decided that Byron Leftwich was the man of the future and drafted him seventh overall in the 2003 NFL Draft.
Garrard got his shot in 2005 and largely led the Jaguars after that, even taking them to the AFC Wild Card round that year. But he was promptly replaced with a healthy Leftwich in the game — one that the Jaguars got obliterated in by the Patriots.
After that Garrard split time with Leftwich, mostly coming in and shining when Leftwich went down with various injuries. In 2008, with Leftwich released, the Jaguars fully handed the reigns over to Garrard who led them to an AFC Divisional Playoff game appearance, one that they almost one against Tom Brady and the Patriots. Later that offseason Garrard agreed to a six year, $60 million contract extension.
But after that, the Jaguars went a miserable 20-28 in the next three seasons and once again, a new regime pushed Garrard away from the starting role which was handed over to eventually to rookie Blaine Gabbert.
The latest release of Garrard isn’t a good sign for his career, but he may still prove to be a solid backup. The fact that the Dolphins didn’t want him shouldn’t hurt his value too much but it appears his days as a starter are over, ad so are his playing days — at least for now.
