Are The Miami Dolphins Set at Quarterback No Matter What 2025 Brings?

Originally posted on Dolphins Talk | By Dorian Sims | Last updated Jun 6, 2025 10:53 AM ET

Heading into the 2025 NFL season, the Miami Dolphins appear to be in a relatively solid position at quarterback, no matter what scenario unfolds. That hasn’t always been the case during the Mike McDaniel era.

Ideally, what everyone wants to see is Tua Tagovailoa repeat his 2023 performance: stay healthy for all 17 games and lead Miami to a deep playoff run. That’s the vision — and frankly, what most stakeholders need to happen.

But given Tua’s history of injuries, particularly concussions and a tendency to take unnecessary hits, it’s hard not to plan for contingencies. The Dolphins did just that this offseason, at least on the surface, by acquiring former Jets and Broncos QB Zach Wilson and drafting Qwinn Ewers, a raw but intriguing rookie out of Texas.

The quarterback room is not without flaws, and frankly, Miami should have brought in a cheaper, steadier veteran option instead of paying $6 million to Wilson. However, the current setup still gives them flexibility.

Let’s consider the worst-case scenario: Tua goes down early in the season, possibly due to another questionable decision to extend a play instead of throwing the ball away. That would put the team in a precarious position. While the organization wouldn’t publicly admit it, the smartest long-term move might be to start Ewers and see what he can develop into. If he flashes potential — great. If not, the silver lining is a high draft pick in the loaded 2026 quarterback class.

Of course, locker room culture and front office politics likely mean that Wilson would get the first nod. The team is paying him significantly more than a typical backup, and McDaniel may feel pressured to stay competitive; otherwise, he might never get another shot as a head coach in the NFL. If he balls out, Mike is a genius because he would be another QB that Mike McDaniel “resurrected”. However, if Wilson plays like he did with the Jets, we will likely see a head coach change and possibly still land a high draft pick.

Now, if Tua’s injury were to happen later in the season and we are sitting pretty — say, in December or during a playoff push — things are more straightforward. The reins will definitely be handed over to Wilson. And by then, Wilson will have had several months to absorb the playbook and gain confidence in McDaniel’s “quarterback-friendly” scheme. In theory, he could be good enough to keep Miami afloat and help them reach the postseason. It’s a low-risk, high-upside situation if he performs decently.

No matter how the 2025 season unfolds, the Dolphins are set up to adapt. Tua’s performance and health will determine not just the season’s outcome, but potentially the franchise’s direction for years to come. The insurance plan may not be perfect, but at least it could benefit us in more than one way if and when things go off-script.

This article first appeared on Dolphins Talk and was syndicated with permission.

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