Getty
The Dolphins are seen as a potential fit for a four time Pro Bowl QB
The Miami Dolphins are once again in the quarterback market as the team plans to move off Tua Tagovailoa. This comes after signing Tagovailoa to a four-year extension only two seasons ago, but his declining performance in those two seasons led Miami to this decision.
Beyond moving on from Tagovailoa, the Dolphins also face uncertainty at the position. Once they either trade or release Tagovailoa, Miami will only have two quarterbacks on the roster. One is rookie seventh-round pick Quinn Ewers, who started the final three games of the season when Miami benched Tagovailoa. The other is sixth-round pick Cam Miller, whom the Dolphins signed from the Raiders’ practice squad before the final regular season game.
The most commonly mentioned option to replace Tagovailoa has been Malik Willis, who is set to be a free agent after two seasons with the Packers. Willis impressed in limited playing time as he served as the backup to Jordan Love. However, his price point may be too high for the Dolphins, which could lead Miami in the direction of another quarterback.
Miami Dolphins Seen as Potential Fit for Kirk Cousins
ESPN’s Ben Solak listed the Dolphins as a potential destination for Kirk Cousins. He said, “I like the Dolphins as a Kirk Cousins team, but if he prefers to return to Minnesota, it’s tough to find any ideal options.” This comes after ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Atlanta Falcons are expected to release Cousins this offseason.
This means the Dolphins would not have to give draft compensation to the Falcons in order to acquire Cousins. Solak mentioned the importance of this, saying, “Miami should not be trading any picks, as it needs rookie-contract, rosterable players to fill out its depth chart.”
Miami’s offense is one Cousins has had success in the past, as new offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik runs the Shanahan offense. Cousins worked in that offense while with Washington and similarly with the Vikings. The Vikings are also seen as a potential destination for Cousins as they seek to find competition for first-round quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
Cousins started one game against the Dolphins, going 21-for-31 for 173 passing yards. Miami won that game 34-10. However, Cousins performed better down the stretch of the season as he ended the season on a four-game winning streak while throwing seven touchdowns to only two interceptions.
Miami Dolphins Options at Quarterback
The Miami Dolphins do not have many options at the quarterback position for the 2026 season. Head coach Jeff Hafley did reveal that the team had a plan in place, but he did not reveal what the plan was. He said, “Let’s be honest, there will be conversation, and there has to be a plan because this league runs through that position. So, can I sit here right now and tell you what the plan is? No. Have we had conversations? Yeah. I’d be totally giving you a bunch of BS and lying to you if I told you that I had no plan. Can I sit here and tell you what that plan is? No, I can’t tell you. And you already know the answer to that.”
Miami could also draft a quarterback, but this draft is widely viewed as a one-quarterback draft, with some developmental options in the later rounds.
Free agency seems like the most likely option with the previously mentioned Willis and Cousins as options for Miami. Additionally, veteran quarterbacks like Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, Marcus Mariota, and Jimmy Garoppolo will all be available.
Jose Esquer Jose Esquer is a Mexican-American sportswriter and communications student based in San Diego, CA. His work spans football, basketball, baseball, and soccer. He has written for platforms like RotoWire and DolphinsTalk. You can find him on Twitter/X @JEsquer8, usually talking Dolphins, world football, or both. More about Jose Esquer
More Heavy on Dolphins
Loading more stories