Dissecting the Dolphins QB Plan

The Miami Dolphins have some questions at quarterback in the aftermath of their blowout loss at Cleveland, and head coach Mike McDaniels provided some answers Monday.

In brief, Tua Tagovailoa will remain the starting quarterback, while rookie seventh-round pick Quinn Ewers and free agent acquisition Zach Wilson will battle for the right to be his backup for the Week 8 game against the Atlanta Falcons and maybe beyond.

McDaniel was asked about Tua maintaining his starting job in the aftermath of his second consecutive three-interception outing, with this one against the Browns exponentially uglier than his performance against the L.A. Chargers eight days ago.

As for the backup position, this has become a topic since the Dolphins made Ewers their No. 2 QB for the first time for the Cleveland game, which got him his first NFL snaps when McDaniel benched Tagovailoa in the fourth quarter with the score already 31-6.

THE TUA CALL

As we analyzed in an earlier story Monday, the idea of the Dolphins replacing Tagovailoa in the starting lineup seemed a bit farfetched, regardless of how poor his Cleveland performance was, McDaniel's tenuous job security and calls from some former NFL players now analysts for him to be benched.

The fact remains that Tagovailoa, until proven otherwise, is still clearly the best quarterback on the roster and he gives McDaniel the best chance to win games, something that will remain his top priority for as long as he remains head coach.

It was interesting that in revealing that Tagovailoa indeed would be the starter against the Falcons next Sunday, McDaniel added this comment at the end, "and my expectation is that we don't throw 10 picks."

THE BACKUP SPOT BATTLE

After the game at Cleveland on Sunday, McDaniel said the decision to move Ewers up to the No. 2 spot was made based on the week of practice and specific to the opponent.

He indicated Monday that Ewers and Wilson would compete this week for the backup spot, with the hope that someone seizes the job permanently.

"I think I make a very calculated, intentional effort to observe each each player every week," McDaniel said. "I think again last week, based upon the game plan situation and Quinn, more than anything it kind of created an opportunity where I thought with conviction and I think the coaching staff agreed that Quinn in this particular game gave us the best shot to win if he had to come in.

"Moving forward, I'm hoping it's not a week-to-week thing. It will be competitive this week, and at the end of the week I'll let you guys (in the media) know who the backup is. And in the hopes that somebody grabs and takes (it), I think you have to be willing to do whatever it takes for your that's the best thing for your team. I was very proud of Zach understanding that this was not a wholesale change. This was for this game and all things are on the table moving forward in their competition and we'll settle that on the field and move on from there."

After replacing Tagovailoa, Ewers completing 5 of 8 passes for 53 yards, including a 40-yard completion to Dee Eskridge, and was sacked twice, including the Dolphins' final offensive play.

Interestingly, Wilson also was 5-for-8 when he came in at the end of the Week 1 blowout loss at Indianapolis, though he finished with only 32 yards but wasn't sacked.

A WILSON WASTE?

That the Dolphins are having a competition at this point between a veteran free agent pick-up and a rookie seventh-round pick would only be justifiable if the organization basically has given up on the 2026 season and wants to prep and develop Ewers for the future and/or see him in game action to decide how they need to proceed at the position moving foward.

But under the idea that McDaniel wants to win games in the unlikely event he can save his job and return in 2026 with a strong finish, then that move would not speak well of yet another offseason decision.

Remember, the Dolphins gave Wilson a one-year, $6 million deal that was fully guaranteed, with his cap hit spread out with void years. He counts only $2.2 million against the cap in 2025, per Over The Cap, but carries a $3.8 million hit next year.

Also remember that the Dolphins went out of their way to say that Wilson was their target from the start of free agency to serve as Tua's backup despite Wilson's only regular season work having produced poor results with the New York Jets.

The Dolphins signed Wilson after he spent a year as Denver's No. 3 QB, which made him less than a proven, reliable backup for an oft-injured starter.

Tagovailoa hasn't missed a snap because of injury so far in 2025, but what does the fact the Dolphins are having a competition between Wilson and Ewers at this stage of the season say about the outlook if Wilson had been called into action with a game on the line.

This is but a blip in a season full of issues that have been unmasked, but it does nothing but provide more ammunition for those looking for a complete regime change.

Regardless of where anyone stands on Tagovailoa as a starter, the mere idea of a battle between Wilson and Ewers says the Dolphins still continue to fail in their duty to bring in a reliable backup. The closest thing they've had was Teddy Bridgewater, but he couldn't stay healthy, and that also was in 2022.

Since then, the Dolphins have gone through Skylar Thompson, Mike White, Tyler Huntley and Tim Boyle, and none of them have proven to be anything more than third-string quarterbacks, if that.

The only other possibility that would bring about a favorable light is if Ewers has been so good in scout team work that the Dolphins feel they have no choice but to promote him, but let's just say that doesn't sound overly realistic.

And there was nothing to suggest in the preseason that Ewers absolutely had to be the guy to go in if something happened to Tua, with the veteran always needing to be the first option, particularly after you made it a point to target him.

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