What can the Dolphins expect from rookie QB Luke Falk?

Before we get started, know this.

The Dolphins currently have four quarterbacks on their 53-man roster.

Ryan Tannehill is the starting quarterback and if anything were to happen to him, the season would be over. Period.

And over the course of preseason, both David Fales and Brock Osweiler have had their ups and downs. However, head coach Adam Gase has a soft spot for both players, therefore, they are both currently on the active roster.

But what about the Dolphins newest quarterback, Luke Falk?

Falk was claimed off of waivers early Sunday afternoon and fans are abuzz about the latest move.

Do the Dolphins need a fourth quarterback on the active roster? Absolutely not.

Is he a young quarterback that can be groomed on the practice squad, with hopes of someday being the backup quarterback to Ryan Tannehill? Oui.

First, it must be noted that Luke Falk was drafted in the 6th-round, 199th overall by the Tennessee Titans. You know what future Hall of Fame quarterback was also drafted 199th overall? His name was Tom Brady. Coincidence, I think not.

It is also worth noting that the Dolphins met with Falk several times throughout the draft process, and it appeared he was a quarterback that Adam Gase and Company fancied. Couple that with his knowledge of the Titan’s offense, made him an easy target for Miami on waivers.

Here is the bio on Luke Falk per NFL.com

Falk transferred from Logan, Utah to Westlake, California to play at famed Christian Oaks High School. He didn’t quite fit in, however, so he moved back to Logan and had a first-team All-State senior season. He redshirted in his first year in Pullman as a walk-on, but got on the field in 2014, playing in six games and starting three (64.2 percent completion, 1,859 yards, 13 touchdowns, seven interceptions). Falk ran Mike Leach’s system to a tee in 2015, earning first-team All-Pac-12 honors after ranking second in FBS by completing 69.4 percent of his passes for a nation-leading 380.5 yards a game (38 touchdowns, eight interceptions). The three-time finalist (and 2017 winner) for the Brandon Burlsworth Trophy award as the nation’s top former walk-on played well again in a second-team All-Conference 2016 season (343.7 yards/game--ranked fourth in the country, 70.0 completion percentage-second, 38 touchdowns, 11 interceptions). Falk’s accuracy, mobility within the pocket, and smart decisions make him a finalist for the Manning and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Awards. Falk’s senior season did not quite go as planned, as he was benched at times and only managed to receive honorable mention All-Conference honors. He still completed 66.9 percent of his passes (357 completions, 534 attempts) for 3,593 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions in 13 starts. Falk did set several Pac-12 career records, including total offense, passing touchdowns, passing yards, completions, and attempts.

All of that is well and good, but what does the tape say?

Let’s dive into the film and see what Luke Falk did this preseason. And why Dolphin fans should be excited about the potential of grooming a young quarterback for the future.

FILM

Conclusion

I don’t think there is any chance the Dolphins keep four quarterbacks on the active roster. Zero.

In fact, it is a near certainty that the team will waive Luke Falk after the Titan’s game, in hopes of signing him to the team’s practice squad for the upcoming season. It is also possible that Adam Gase was just doing his best Bill Belichick impersonation, and claimed the rookie quarterback for intel. Nevertheless, the odds of Falk being on the active 53-man roster after Week 1, is slim to none.

There is no denying Luke Falk played fairly well during preseason. Sure, he has a very long way to go before being active on game day. But Adam Gase has once been called a “quarterback whisper”. Does Gase have what it takes to groom Luke Falk into a viable NFL quarterback? Time will tell.

This article was written by Josh Houtz. Follow him on Twitter!

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