I am going to be totally honest with y'all. I am not expecting a lot out of the Miami Dolphins this season. While second place could be up for grabs in the AFC East, New England seems to have the most positive momentum of the trio between them, Miami and New York. One of the reasons I am so down on the Dolphins this season is the health, play and pay of starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
I just cannot get past the nature of him being one play away from having his career go up in flames. The fact Zach Wilson has been tabbed as his primary backup scares me. Although this season could be the end of the line for general manager Chris Grier, I am still intrigued by their head coach Mike McDaniel. I am also under the belief seventh-round rookie Quinn Ewers could be a starter one day.
McDaniel spoke glowingly about Ewers' growth and development in the early part of training camp.
"Quinn Ewers is doing great. Rookie, rookies develop at different speeds. But regardless of their development, you know, I think with Quinn, it starts with, you know, a quarterback's a leader of men. And he has, you can tell he has a, there's a personality trait within him that really teammates gravitate to."
Ewers fell in the 2025 NFL Draft for a myriad of reasons. It had something to do with his injury-prone nature, his overstated arm and his immobile disposition. All I know is that I saw a college football quarterback be the one to bring Texas back. His path into the NFL may be far more arduous than I ever expected. However, I think he is in the right spot for him to grow and prosper as a professional.
With how cheap his contract is, as well as how expensive Tagovailoa is, what if this team struggles?
Why Miami Dolphins may pivot off Tua Tagovailoa to Quinn Ewers in 2027
From a pure financial standpoint, Tagovailoa will be making millions more than Ewers this year, next year and beyond. He is entering his first season of a four-year, $212.4 million contract. The good news for the Dolphins is they have a potential out after the 2026 NFL season. As for Ewers, he is entering the first year of his rookie deal, a four-year one worth $4,331,576. The price range is absurd.
What I am getting at is if the Dolphins are a sub-.500 team this year and next with Tagovailoa as the primary starter, what is to stop them from pivoting to Ewers if he can be the better player for the money? Keep in mind that Wilson is only under contract for this season at $6 million. Admittedly, a lot has to happen between now and then for the pivot from Tagovailoa to Ewers to happen, but it might...
Ultimately, the Dolphins are one of the most chaotic franchises in the NFL. It is why they have the longest active playoff win drought in football. They should have won one by now, but the ghosts of Dave Wannstedt and hanging chads continue to rear their ugly heads in South Florida. Tagovailoa may be an SEC legend, but what Ewers was tasked with doing at Texas was far more impressive.
This may be wishful thinking, but Ewers does have the perfect runway to take over for Tagovailoa.