Neither Zach Wilson nor Quinn Ewers played well in the Miami Dolphins’ first preseason game this weekend. But we can all agree Wilson outplayed Ewers on Sunday, and it wasn’t even close. Well most of us can, I guess. but Pro Football Focus apparently thinks Ewers outplayed Wilson. That’s odd, considering Wilson engineered two scoring drives and Ewers turned the ball over on two of his second-half possessions.
This is why preseason games don’t really have that much of an impact on how a player will look in the regular season. That said, Ewers will have to impress more than the graders at PFF to make the Week 1 roster. According to PFF, Ewers received a 37.2 grade, Wilson a 33.6 and Tua Tagovailoa had the highest with a 74.
The good thing is Miami doesn’t have a serious quarterback battle. They just have a battle over who is going to back up Tagovailoa. It makes these bizarre grades a bit more bearable. But it doesn’t mean a decision’s made easier. As of now, it’s Wilson’s job to lose ... just don’t tell PFF that.
Quinn Ewers’ NFL preseason debut was forgettable for everyone except PFF
Ewers fumbling the ball on two of his possessions doesn’t bode well for him as he looks to compete with Wilson for the backup job in Miami. Possessions are crucial and in the preseason, giving away a chance to prove you deserve a spot isn’t going to work in your favor. It’s the type of thing that could determine whether he makes the roster or not.
He was already at a disadvantage as a seventh-round selection in the NFL Draft. Not making the most of his snaps doesn’t help. The Dolphins have every incentive to take the backup job seriously with Tagovailoa having some health issues over the last few seasons. Whoever they choose, they have to trust.
Right now, Ewers isn’t giving Miami any reason to trust him. He can certainly improve over the next few games and make an argument, but he’s back to fighting an uphill battle. PFF may like the way he played, but I’m sure the Dolphins don’t. Ewers led Texas to back-to-back College Football Playoff semifinals.
He should feel disrespected that he was the last quarterback taken in the 2025 NFL Draft. These preseason games should be where he proves teams were wrong to pass on him. As of now, he’s proving them right. Then again, if his goal was to impress the PFF graders, well I guess he’s right on track.