Miami Dolphins QB Carousel Continues: David Garrard "Sidelined" After Knee Surgery

The Miami Dolphins are just a few hours away from taking the field for their first preseason game of the 2012 season. According to the depth chart set by head coach Joe Philbin this past Monday, and much discussed meeting with the four quarterbacks on the team's roster as seen on HBO's Hard Knocks, David Garrard was thought to be the man to first take the field under center tonight against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Of course, this being Miami, where the QB carousel turns like nowhere else,Garrard is no longer heading for the start tonight, as a "recent" surgery was revealed by Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times today.

With no published timetable for a return, Garrard's procedure opens the door for either last season's starter Matt Moore or eighth overall pick Ryan Tannehill to claim the starting job. Moore has seemed to struggle some in training camp thus far, but has starting experience, and performed well at the end of the year for the Dolphins; however, Miami has changed coaching staffs over the offseason, leading to Moore having to fight for the starting position again.

Tannehill has looked strong in training camp, after ending a two day holdout from the team. The fact that he is a first round pick could give him the edge in starting, unless Moore decisively outplays the rookie.

The Dolphins also have Pat Devlin on the roster.

Miami is expected to name a starter after the second preseason game next week. Tonight's performance by Moore or Tannehill could go a long way to ending the competition.

[UPDATE: 5:14pm EDT - The Dolphins cannot comment on the injury until they turn in their final injury report at 6pm EDT. However, there has been no denial from the team about the injury. Omar Kelly is pointing out on Twitter this is not an injury from today, as Garrard has been practicing with a compression sleeve on his knee the last few days]