With Joe Philbin Signed As The Miami Dolphins New Head Coach, Will Packers QB Matt Flynn Take His Talents To South Beach?

Published: 21^st Jan 12 9:48 pm

by Robert D. Cobb
Cleveland Browns Featured Columnist, Follow me on Twitter, @RobertCobb_76

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MIAMI, FL – With the Miami Dolphins hiring of former Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator, Joe Philbin as their new head coach Saturday evening, one can only help but wonder if second-string quarterback Matt Flynn may follow.

Flynn, a fourth-year player out of LSU has spent his career on the bench backing up quarterback Aaron Rodgers, is widely perceived to bolt Green Bay as a free agent and take his proverbial talents elsewhere.

Is Miami—thanks to the hiring of his former offensive coordinator in Philbin—in the mix?

Flynn has been linked to quarterback-needy teams such as Cleveland, Washington and now Miami, while the Dolphins currently have Matt Moore as their projected starter for the 2012-13 season, does the hiring of Philbin signal the end of Moore and the inevitable arrival of Flynn?

Flynn, who would rise to prominence while filling in for Rodgers—who would suffer a concussion against Detroit—would throw for 177 yards and one interception in a 7-3 loss to the Lions.

Flynn would see his stock rise with a 24-of-37, 251 yard, three touchdown performance on the road against the New England Patriots during a nationally televised Sunday Night game 31-27 loss.

During a Week 17 game against the Detroit Lions, Flynn would start in place of Rodgers—who was rested for the playoffs—and throw for a Packers franchise-record 480 yards and six touchdowns in a 45-41 win over Detroit.

In two starts, Flynn has thrown for 731 yards, nine touchdowns and two interceptions while completing 67.7 percent of his passes for a QB rating of 118.3

Based on two starts, Flynn sounds like a quality back-up, but is he the former Buffalo Bills quarterback Frank Reich or the second coming of Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kevin Kolb?

In so many ways, Flynn sounds like a shoo-in to go to the Dolphins based on his familiarity with Philbin’s West Coast offense, but thanks to the precedent that Kolb set after being acquired by the Arizona Cardinals from the Philadelphia Eagles—who would sign Kolb to a five-year extension worth $63 million

In seven starts with the eagles in 2010-11, Kolb would throw for 1,197 yards, seven touchdowns and seven interceptions before being traded for Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and a second-round pick.

In his first full year as a NFL starting quarterback, Kolb would throw for 1,955 yards, nine touchdowns and eight interceptions in nine games, and be involved in a quarterback controversy with second-year quarterback John Skelton.

For Flynn, there is also the issue of possibly franchised by Green Bay, which would detract possible suitors and means that Flynn would be paid $14.4 million to sit the bench behind Rodgers.

The thinking in Green Bay is that they can tempt either the Dolphins, Browns, Redskins or any other team into giving up a first or second round pick for him.

The price of $14.4 million for a quarterback that has two NFL starts under his belt may be a bit steep—even for Philbin—and his new team to pay.

Follow me on Twitter, @Dawgfather_76