DAVIE, Fla. (AP) -- Miami Dolphins coach Adam Gase says he's confident quarterback Ryan Tannehill will be ready for the 2018 season, but 2017 is out.
The Dolphins placed Tannehill on injured reserve Saturday because of his left knee injury, sidelining him for the entire season. Tannehill and the Dolphins decided surgery will be the best option for his torn anterior cruciate ligament.
When asked about his conversation with Tannehill, Gase said: "It was probably tougher for me. It's more and more real. It's unfortunate for him. He worked so hard."
Tannehill's replacement, Jay Cutler, practiced for the second time Saturday and might play in Thursday's exhibition game against the Baltimore Ravens.
"If he feels good enough to go on Thursday, where the pocket feel is there and he feels like he's in a good place, then he'll go," Gase said.
Cutler, who parted with the Chicago Bears after eight seasons, postponed retirement and his TV job, signing a $10 million, one-year contract.
Tannehill will still be around the team this season, Gase said.
"There are going to be times where he'll be rehabbing at other facilities," Gase said. "But there will be some weeks where he's going to be around a lot, and he'll be able to help the coaching staff and help the players."
To fill Tannehill's roster spot, Miami signed linebacker Junior Sylvestre, who spent part of the 2017 offseason with Buffalo and the 2016 offseason and training camp with Indianapolis.
Tannehill missed the final four games of last season with two sprained ligaments in his knee, and he reinjured it a week into training camp. The Dolphins consulted with specialists before the team and Tannehill decided on surgery.
Tannehill chose to avoid surgery after last season's injury. He instead rehabilitated the partially torn ligaments and underwent stem cell treatments.
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