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DAVIE, Fla. -- There is no bigger boom-or-bust prospect in the 2012 draft than former Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill. Is he the next prolific NFL quarterback, or simply a product of pre-draft hype that led to becoming a top-10 pick?

Opinions vary. But the Miami Dolphins believe they have the answers to the Tannehill question. Miami has more inside knowledge on Tannehill than any other team and drafted its quarterback of the future with the No. 8 overall pick Thursday night.

Tannehill will rejoin Dolphins offensive coordinator and former Aggies coach Mike Sherman, who says Tannehill is a star in the making. There are many critics who believe Tannehill is fool's gold, but the Dolphins are very confident they made the right choice.

"This was an all-in decision," Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland said firmly. "From the football side, our scouts, our coaches ... we all felt very, very good about it."

Ireland hit the nail on the head. The Dolphins are betting the foreseeable future of the franchise on Tannehill -- for better or for worse.

If Tannehill develops into an upper-echelon quarterback, the Dolphins finally have the biggest piece to change their misfortunes. If Tannehill is a bust, it will set Miami back another three or four years.

"We're excited and thrilled," Dolphins owner Stephen Ross said of their first-round pick. "I've always said you need to be strong at the quarterback position, and now that's one of the strengths of this team. So I couldn't be happier."

The pick doesn't come without pressure. It's been 29 years since the Dolphins drafted a quarterback in the first round: Dan Marino in 1983. Those are some big shoes to fill.

It's also no coincidence Miami hasn't had a legitimate, franchise quarterback since Marino retired in 2000. The list of mediocre starting quarterbacks since included Cleo Lemon, Joey Harrington, Trent Green, Jay Fiedler, A.J. Feeley, John Beck and most recently Chad Henne. Tannehill will try to avoid being the next name on this infamous list.

Tannehill had only 19 career starts in college. There is a learning curve with Tannehill that isn't as steep for other top quarterback prospects like Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III, who went No. 1 and No. 2 to the Indianapolis Colts and Washington Redskins, respectively.

The good news is Tannehill is not expected to play in 2012. Barring unexpected injuries to Miami veteran quarterbacks Matt Moore and David Garrard, Tannehill probably will hold a clipboard next season. This will provide Tannehill ample time to learn the NFL game.

Dolphins rookie head coach and former Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin kept Aaron Rodgers on the bench for several years before he became a starter and it worked out fine. But that wasn’t what Tannehill wanted to hear on draft day.

"I want to compete, that's just the competitor in me," Tannehill said in a conference call with the South Florida media. "Obviously with competition comes learning. It doesn't have to be a hostile competition. It's just competing."

Ireland said he’s going to leave Tannehill's playing time next season up to the coaching staff. But chances are, we won't know much about Tannehill until 2013. The boom-or-bust talk will have to wait for at least a year.

But Tannehill's ceiling is high if things go right in Miami. It also doesn't hurt that the quarterback competition in the AFC East is not very stout. It's pretty much Tom Brady, and then there's everyone else.

Tannehill has the physical ability to potentially rise above the struggling quarterback pile in the division that includes Mark Sanchez, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Tim Tebow. If Tannehill becomes the second-best quarterback in the AFC East over the next two or three years, that's a huge advantage for the rebuilding Dolphins.

Remember this day, Dolphins fans. Tannehill is the draft pick that will either change Miami's misfortunes or extend the team's misery for several more years. The Tannehill mystery won't be solved overnight, but Miami feels it found the piece to eventually build this struggling franchise into a winner.

"I don't know if this energizes the fan base. What energizes the fan base is winning," Ross said. "I'm looking to field a winning team, because energizing a fan base only lasts a very short period of time.

"We're talking about winning in the long haul."

Now comes the tricky part for the Miami Dolphins.

Miami wants free-agent quarterback Peyton Manning in the worst way and met with him for hours Monday evening. But Manning has meticulously taken his time and reportedly will drag his decision beyond 4 p.m. Tuesday, at which time free agency begins.

Should the Dolphins wait for Manning or pursue former Green Bay Packers quarterback Matt Flynn on Tuesday afternoon while the Manning situation is still pending? It's an interesting dilemma.

On one end, Miami still thinks it has a legit shot to land Manning, a future Hall of Famer. If word comes out the Dolphins are simultaneously chasing Flynn on Tuesday afternoon, that may sway Manning's thinking about Miami’s level of commitment.

The Denver Broncos have Tim Tebow and won't be chasing Flynn on Tuesday. Neither will the Arizona Cardinals, who have Kevin Kolb. Those teams will be waiting patiently on Manning, who has dictated the terms of this entire process. Manning may view the Dolphins' negotiating with Flynn as rushing his decision -- something Manning would not like.

On the other end, the Dolphins do not want to leave this offseason empty-handed and without a new starting quarterback. A number of interested teams will be jumping right in on Flynn. If the Dolphins wait a few days to join the party due to Manning's indecision, they could be too late for Flynn. Under this scenario, Manning's decision would basically hold the Dolphins hostage.

This is the type of high-stakes game you play when trying to land one of the biggest free agents in NFL history. Miami reportedly is not the favorite in the Manning sweepstakes. So it might be wise for the Dolphins to be one of the first teams to jump into the Flynn sweepstakes after 4 p.m. ET Tuesday.

Either way, Miami is taking a risk. If you were Dolphins management, what would you do?

It's a small bargaining chip, to be sure. But the Miami Dolphins would be remiss if they didn't mention their 2012 schedule when courting free-agent quarterback Peyton Manning in the next few days.

The Dolphins have the Indianapolis Colts, Manning's former team, on their schedule next season. Miami travels to Indianapolis, in 2012 and the date will be determined sometime next month.

This won't factor too heavily into Manning's final decision, but every little bit helps. Manning is very competitive, and he surely would be fired up the week of the game to show Jim Irsay and Indianapolis that they released Manning too soon.

It also would give Manning an opportunity to out-duel prospect Andrew Luck, who is projected to be the No. 1 pick for Indy and Manning's replacement.

Just hours after saying goodbye to the Indianapolis Colts, Peyton Manning's first stop may be a telling one.

CBS Miami has an aerial shot of the future Hall of Fame quarterback landing in South Florida Wednesday afternoon. Manning will officially become a free agent as soon as the paperwork goes through the league office.

It is unknown at this stage if Manning will start his free-agent tour with the Miami Dolphins or is just going back to Miami to continue his workouts and rehabilitation. Manning, who owns a condo in Miami, recently trained with former teammate Reggie Wayne in South Beach a couple weeks ago, as well as Duke University last week.

But perhaps this is a good first sign for the Dolphins. I don't see any reason why having Manning in Miami can be a bad thing right now. The Dolphins are considered one of the favorites to land the quarterback.

It feels like a long time ago, but it really wasn't.

Just 14 months ago, the New York Jets went into Indianapolis and ended Peyton Manning's historic, Hall of Fame run with the Colts. The Jets and quarterback Mark Sanchez upset Indianapolis in the playoffs, 17-16, on Jan. 8, 2011 during New York's second straight run to the AFC title game.

No one knew it at the time, but this was Manning’s last game as a Colt. Manning later had multiple neck surgeries and missed the entire 2011 season. The Colts will announce his release later Wednesday.

The irony of this story is New York might be one of the teams interested in acquiring Manning. Sanchez struggled last season and wasn’t the same after that solid playoff run where he upset Manning and Tom Brady in back-to-back weeks.

One of the favorites to land Manning is the Miami Dolphins, which would present the scenario of Sanchez facing Manning and Brady at least four times a year.

Get the helicopter warmed up, Miami Dolphins.

The moment has arrived. It's time for the Dolphins' organization to make their best pitch to soon-to-be free-agent quarterback Peyton Manning.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reports the Indianapolis Colts will release Manning and hold a news conference on Wednesday. The deadline to pay Manning a $28 million roster bonus is Thursday, and there was zero chance the Colts would fork over that kind of money for a quarterback who missed the entire 2011 season.

But that won't stop the Dolphins and several other teams for knocking down Manning's door any day now. Miami is projected as one of the favorites. Other teams such as the Arizona Cardinals, Washington Redskins and New York Jets also are rumored to have interest.

The Dolphins and owner Stephen Ross want to make a splash this offseason. They tried everything from helicopter rides to offering big money to head coach Jeff Fisher, who spurned Miami to join the St. Louis Rams. Ross and Co. will try to put their best foot forward again with Manning.

The timing is perfect for Miami. Free agency doesn't start until next Tuesday, which gives the Dolphins time to gauge whether Manning is legitimately interested in coming to Miami. We listed all the reasons why the Dolphins are a great fit here. But if it doesn't work out, Miami still has enough time to transition to Plan B and go after former Green Bay Packers quarterback Matt Flynn in free agency.

Manning, a first-ballot Hall of Famer, is one of the biggest names ever to reach free agency. Business is about to pick up.

With free agency approaching, the Miami Dolphins are getting everything lined up to make their best pitch for potential free-agent quarterback Peyton Manning and unrestricted free agent Matt Flynn. Manning is expected to be released by March 8 before a $28 million bonus is due from the Indianapolis Colts. Flynn is the backup to Green Bay Packers Pro Bowl quarterback Aaron Rodgers and is looking for a starting job.

While it's pretty clear the Dolphins will start top shelf with Manning, a Super Bowl champion and future Hall of Famer, Flynn is expected to be Miami's Plan B if Manning doesn't sign or his health is too big of a question.

But the AFC East blog has been getting emails and tweets from many Dolphins fans who think Flynn should be Plan A over Manning. Here is the case for Flynn:

• Flynn, 26, is the younger, healthier quarterback. Manning turns 36 on March 24. The best-case scenario is that Manning has two or three good years left in him. But even that's not a guarantee. Flynn has the potential to be your starting quarterback for the next six or seven years.
• The West Coast offense is the system Flynn is familiar with, not Manning. Flynn spent his first four seasons in Green Bay learning the West Coast offense under new Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin. The system and the terminology will all be the same for Flynn, which makes for an easier learning curve. A case certainly can be made that Manning is good enough to play in any offense. But he will command some say in the system and force Miami's coaches to adjust. The Dolphins don't have to worry about that with Flynn.
• Flynn should be more affordable. Although Manning's contract will have plenty of incentives, he deserves to be paid like an elite quarterback if he stays healthy. If Manning's neck is not an issue in 2012, he will be the more expensive option.

Those are the main points from Flynn supporters. They're valid, but I still say a free agent like Manning is so rare that Miami has to chase him first. A healthy Manning makes Miami an instant contender. Flynn is still somewhat of an unknown.

The most important issue is the medical check. If Indianapolis releases Manning, which is the expectation, it will have something to do with Manning not being 100 percent. Miami, or any other team, would have to be confident Manning will be ready to go by September.

ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter lists the Miami Dolphins as the favorites to land future Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning. The Indianapolis Colts are expected to release Manning in March before his $28 million roster bonus is due.

In the video, Schefter addresses all 32 NFL teams and narrows it down to the Final Four with the best chance.

Also, here is my column this week agreeing with Schefter's assessment that Miami is the best fit for Manning.

MIAMI -- Memo to Peyton Manning: If things don't work out in Indianapolis over the next several weeks -- and they probably won't -- it's time to take your talents to South Beach.

Yes, Manning should be the next superstar player to land in Miami. The Colts are expected to release Manning before his $28 million bonus is due in March. Indianapolis holds the No. 1 overall pick, which will kick off the Andrew Luck era while simultaneously ending the Manning era.

It's time for Manning, if he's healthy, to make another team a Super Bowl contender. The Dolphins can't make their pitch while Manning is still under contract. But there is nothing illegal about the AFC East blog doing some early legwork and making a pitch for the Dolphins instead.

Here are five reasons why Manning to Miami is the ideal fit:

Reason No. 1: The Dolphins have the right pieces in place

Pro Bowl receiver? Check. Pro Bowl left tackle? Check. A solid running game with a 1,000-yard rusher? Check and check.

Besides a franchise quarterback, Miami's offense doesn't need much. The Dolphins showed how dangerous they can be with a competent quarterback, Matt Moore. Miami made up for its 0-7 start by finishing 6-3 in its final nine games.

The Dolphins would be even better with Manning. He instantly would turn Miami into a contender and a serious threat to supplant the New England Patriots in the AFC East and the conference as a whole.

Brandon Marshall would look like the receiver we saw in the Pro Bowl, where he was the game's MVP. Tailback Reggie Bush would have even more running lanes in 2012. Jake Long, arguably the best left tackle in football, would protect Manning's blind side and his surgically repaired neck. Manning cannot get better blindside protection unless he goes to Cleveland, which has left tackle Joe Thomas. And that’s not happening.

The New York Jets are a mess offensively. The Seattle Seahawks and Washington Redskins have poor offensive lines. And what receivers would Manning throw to in San Francisco?

Miami has all the right pieces for Manning to step right in and thrive.

Reason No. 2: The defense is primed, ready

Unlike Indianapolis, in Miami not all the pressure would be on Manning to put up 30 points per game. Miami allowed just 19.6 points per game this past season.

Do not be fooled by Miami's final ranking. The Dolphins finished 15th in the NFL in total yards, but that number was skewed by their awful 0-7 start. Miami eventually regained its 2010 form and was a top-10 defense in the second half of the season. The Dolphins have talent at every level defensively, and there's no reason to believe they won't have another strong unit next season.

Miami's defense could help Manning just as much as he could help the defense. The Dolphins' defense and special teams -- led by punter Brandon Fields -- are good at winning the field-position battle. If Manning could put points on the board early, that would help make opposing offenses one-dimensional.

The Dolphins' defense would benefit greatly from the increased scoring and fewer turnovers that Manning would provide.

Reason No. 3: Miami's owner has deep pockets

I don't know if money is important to Manning at this stage of his career. But Miami owner Stephen Ross has deep pockets and is willing to pay whatever is necessary.

Whether searching for a coach or chasing top free agents, Ross has made it clear that money isn’t an issue. The Dolphins are not in bad shape with the salary cap. Unlike the Jets, Miami has some wiggle room to fit Manning in.

If Manning is released, health concerns about his neck will be the primary reason. Therefore, expect Manning to sign an incentive-laden contract that protects his next team if he is injured. But look for Ross and the Dolphins to be among the highest bidders.

Reason No. 4: Location, location, location

Miami provides advantages for Manning on and off the field.

For starters, any offense with Manning will be a pass-heavy scheme. Manning is used to playing indoors and wants to throw the football 30-40 times a game. He can do that in Miami, where the weather is warm all year.

Of Manning's suitors, only the Arizona Cardinals can compete with Miami's weather. The Cardinals also play in a dome, which Manning would prefer. Arizona gets the edge there.

But here is something the Cardinals can't match: Manning reportedly owns property in Miami. His family likes it in South Florida, and the entire transition to the Dolphins would be easier. You cannot underrate the importance of family when Manning makes his final decision.

Reason No. 5: The chance to beat Tom Brady

Let's be honest: There's some unfinished business between Manning and Brady.

The two best quarterbacks of this era have had classic battles over the past dozen years. But Manning sat out this past season while his little brother, Eli Manning, carried the torch in this rivalry and beat Brady for the second time in a Super Bowl.

Peyton hasn't had the same success against Brady. Peyton is 5-8 against him, which includes some big playoff defeats. When both are retired, there will be plenty of debate on which quarterback was better. Brady owns the head-to-head advantage now, a big argument in his favor.

But it’s not too late for Peyton to make up that margin, especially if he comes to the AFC East and plays Brady at least twice a season. The Dolphins can give Peyton the type of supporting cast on offense and defense that it takes to beat Brady.

Brady and Manning are down to their last years, and both desperately want at least one more ring before they retire. Manning should try to get that ring in Miami.

Now it's getting serious.

After weeks of speculation that Peyton Manning could be a fit for the Miami Dolphins, there is now a website and billboard in South Florida to help in the recruiting effort.

ManningToMiami.com was launched on Wednesday, and a huge billboard is on Interstate-595 for all to see. Here is the picture of the billboard courtesy of the Palm Beach Post. It shows a graphic of what Manning could look like in a Dolphins' uniform.

The Indianapolis Colts are expected to part ways with Manning before his reported $28 million bonus is due in March. Manning had multiple neck surgeries which kept him sidelined for the 2011 season. But several teams, including the Dolphins, are expected to pursue Manning if/when he becomes available.

The Indianapolis Colts are expected to release quarterback Peyton Manning before his $28 million roster bonus is due in March. That means teams are lining up for his services in free agency.

But which team provides the best landing spot for Manning? If healthy, the future Hall of Famer will make any team a playoff contender.

If Manning moves to the AFC East, there are two teams in need of a franchise quarterback. The Miami Dolphins want to upgrade from Matt Moore and have made it no secret they'd love to add Manning. The New York Jets say third-year quarterback Mark Sanchez is their starter. But there are reports that some in the organization want Manning instead. Both AFC East teams have solid defenses that would support Manning.

It seems nearly the entire NFC West could be in the Manning sweepstakes. Would Manning be a great fit there? There’s been a lot of chatter, with the Arizona Cardinals making a pitch. Kevin Kolb is a bust, and receiver Larry Fitzgerald hasn't had a good quarterback since Kurt Warner. The San Francisco 49ers, with their stout defense and running game, would be a Super Bowl favorite by adding Manning. The Seattle Seahawks also could have interest, but we ran out of teams we could list.

Finally, what about the Washington Redskins? Owner Daniel Snyder always is looking for the next big thing. The Redskins have been a mess for a long time. Even veteran coach Mike Shanahan hasn't been able to clean it up. Would Manning be the answer in Washington?

Using our SportsNation poll, vote on which team provides the best landing spot for Manning. You can also share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Here is a potential clue to tracking the Miami Dolphins in free agency: Watch the Green Bay Packers.

Yes, general manager Jeff Ireland is running the show in Miami. But that doesn't mean Dolphins rookie head coach Joe Philbin won't add some influence about the players he's most familiar with.

Green Bay went 15-1 this season. Here are some key pending free agents for the Packers to keep an eye on:

• QB Matt Flynn
• TE Jermichael Finley
• RB Ryan Grant
• C Scott Wells

Philbin worked directly with this group day-to-day as Green Bay's offensive coordinator.

It's no secret Philbin likes Flynn, who was Aaron Rodgers' backup for four seasons. Perhaps no coach outside of the Packers’ staff knows Flynn better than Miami’s rookie head coach. I fully expect Miami to be in the Flynn sweepstakes if Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning is out of the equation.

Finley and Grant are interesting cases. I doubt Finley is going anywhere. He is one of Rodgers' favorite targets and most likely will get an extension or the franchise tag. Grant might be someone of interest, although Miami has 1,000-yard rusher Reggie Bush and budding rookie Daniel Thomas. Wells is Green Bay's starting center, and Mike Pouncey is Miami's long-term solution there.

INDIANAPOLIS -- If Peyton Manning becomes a free agent in March, which is the expectation, there will be a bevy of teams interested in his services -- assuming he's healthy. But Manning's free agency will ultimately come down to the short list of teams he's most interested in.

A source tells Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel that the Dolphins are one of those teams. Manning reportedly owns property in Miami and his family wouldn't mind living in that area. That would make for an easy transition.

It also doesn't hurt that Dolphins owner Stephen Ross has deep pockets and wants to make a splash. Money won't be an issue. Miami has made it no secret that the team is looking to upgrade at quarterback.

There are several reasons Miami makes sense for Manning. If healthy, he would instantly make Miami a contender. The team already has a solid defense, a star left tackle (Jake Long) to protect him and solid weapons at receiver, such as Pro Bowler Brandon Marshall. The New York Jets might also be in play.

Manning versus Tom Brady twice a year in the AFC East? What a tantalizing thought.

There is huge news coming out of Indianapolis just a few days before the Super Bowl. ESPN's Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter report that Colts quarterback Peyton Manning has been medically cleared to resume football activities.

Manning missed the entire 2011 season with a neck injury. But given this report, it is very promising that Manning will play again in 2012.

Here is what this news could mean for the AFC East:

• Two teams in the AFC East have interest in Manning: the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins. Both clubs should be giving a quiet round of applause. If Manning is almost ready to return, the biggest question becomes, which uniform will he wear in the fall? The Dolphins and Jets are two teams that should be in the thick of the Manning sweepstakes. A healthy Manning has the potential to turn either club into a contender.
• I'm not sure how much this changes Manning's status with the Colts. That may be a better question for AFC South blogger Paul Kuharsky. But the expectation before this news was that Manning would be released to avoid his $28 million bonus. Paying such a bonus would mean the Colts are ready to give Manning a long-term commitment in the range of two or three more years. With Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck about to be on board, and Manning coming off a major injury, it's probably best to just cut bait.
• The Dolphins are free to pursue any quarterback they want. But the Jets need to tread carefully if they're going to chase Manning. Publicly, the team is backing starting quarterback Mark Sanchez, and it would send a bad message to the third-year quarterback if New York went after Manning. Therefore, the Jets should go after Manning only if they are sure they can get him. A failed attempt would only dent an already fractured locker room and Sanchez's confidence.

Green Bay Packers starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers says his backup, Matt Flynn, is a "strong possibility" for the Miami Dolphins.

Rodgers works closely with Flynn and did work closely with new Dolphins head coach and former Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin. So Rodgers would know.

Here were Rodgers' comments, via ESPN Milwaukee:

"I think it’s a strong possibility that [the Dolphins] would make a run at him," said Rodgers, who is preparing for Sunday's Pro Bowl. "I think it kind of makes sense. Joe in that system, which I’m sure is going to be very similar to this system, and Matt having a great grasp of that and playing well in his recent opportunities. I think it would kind of make sense to bring Matt out there."

Miami owner Stephen Ross and general manager Jeff Ireland have made it no secret that the team will be searching for an upgrade at quarterback this offseason. The Dolphins’ three best options right now are Flynn, Peyton Manning and Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III.

Of those three, I think Flynn is the most realistic alternative. The Indianapolis Colts will either keep or release Manning, who might not have enough information on the progress of his injured neck when free agency begins in March. Griffin is expected to go in the top five of April's draft. The Dolphins pick No. 8 or No. 9.

Meanwhile, Flynn is an unrestricted free agent, and Philbin makes Miami a very attractive destination. The offense and terminology will be similar to what Flynn used in Green Bay. Either way, expect to hear plenty on Miami's quarterback situation in the coming months.