Miami Dolphins Need a Veteran Quarterback\u00a0<\/p>\n
It\u2019s pretty clear through the first two preseason games that the Miami Dolphins are in desperate need of a veteran quarterback.<\/p>\n
We all know the Dolphins have zero expectations this season and are in a complete rebuild. Most observers project the Dolphins to be the worst team in the NFL largely as a result of having the largest dead cap hit ($175 million) in a single season in NFL history.<\/p>\n
While you can lose games in the NFL as a rebuilding team, you need to at least be competent and competitive. What the Dolphins have shown in all of their offensive drives without Malik Willis<\/a> \u2014 who played one drive that resulted in a touchdown against the Washington Commanders \u2014 is that they\u2019re as incompetent as they possibly can be.<\/p>\n The Dolphins didn\u2019t score on a single offensive possession in their 10 drives without Willis against the Commanders, and they scored a mere field goal in their nine offensive possessions in their 26-3 loss to the New York Giants.<\/p>\n If you thought the performance in the preseason opener against the Commanders was bad, it was twice as bad \u2014 if not more \u2014 against the Giants. The Dolphins fielded an offensive unit without Willis and second-year backup Quinn Ewers<\/a> and went with Cam Miller<\/a> to start the game and Mark Gronowski<\/a>, who was recently brought back on the roster after being cut due to Ewers\u2019 injury.<\/p>\n With two quarterbacks who have zero NFL experience leading the way, Miami racked up a total of 102 yards for an average of 2.8 yards per play.<\/p>\n Miller went 6-of-11 for 60 yards with a 70.3 passer rating while Gronowski was just 2-of-5 for 1 yard and a 47.9 passer rating.<\/p>\n If there was any bright spot from the game, it\u2019s that the Dolphins quarterbacks at least didn\u2019t turn the ball over, which was a major issue against the Commanders. Miller threw two interceptions last week, while Ewers threw an interception while going 1-for-8 for 27 yards.<\/p>\n Miami is obviously committed to this rebuild and is all-in with this young roster. That much is clear. However, it doesn\u2019t detract from the rebuild by at least signing or attempting to acquire a veteran quarterback before the 2026 season starts.<\/p>\n There will be no shortage of potential veteran backups on the market. Jimmy Garoppolo<\/a> \u2014 who has started a Super Bowl and has 64 games of starting experience under his belt \u2014 is available on the free agency market.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, there will be veteran quarterbacks available who are either cut or traded when 53-man rosters are settled. For example, the Dolphins have already been linked to Pittsburgh Steelers veterans Mason Rudolph<\/a> and Will Howard<\/a>. The Steelers will obviously enter the season with Aaron Rodgers<\/a> as the starting quarterback and Drew Allar<\/a> as a backup. The winner of the Rudolph\/Howard competition will get the other spot, which means the Steelers have a logjam at the quarterback position, with one QB on the way out.<\/p>\n To make things very clear, neither of these quarterbacks will be a threat to Willis. Willis is entering the season as the starting quarterback and, barring a disastrous performance, he\u2019ll end the 2026 season as the Dolphins\u2019 starting quarterback.<\/p>\n With that being said, Miami can\u2019t risk going with a shaky Ewers or quarterbacks with no experience in Miller and Gronkowski if Willis is to get dinged up. Ewers is playing under a completely new regime under first-year head coach Jeff Hafley and general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan.<\/p>\n To top it all off, the Dolphins\u2019 lack of talent has been on great display over the first two seasons, with their leading receivers being Malik Washington<\/a>, Jalen Tolbert<\/a>, Caleb Douglas<\/a> and Tutu Atwell<\/a>. The top receiver of that bunch, Washington, produced just 46 catches for 317 yards and three touchdowns.<\/p>\n The Dolphins haven\u2019t hid the fact that they\u2019re in a rebuild with an extremely young core \u2014 they have the youngest roster at 25.2 years old \u2014 as they enter their first season under the Hafley\/Sullivan regime.<\/p>\n