Two things are clear in Miami right now. One is that Tua Tagovailoa is not the long-term answer at quarterback. The team is benching the left-handed passer amidst what's arguably been his worst NFL season. Tagovailoa leads the NFL with 15 interceptions and has seen a massive drop in completion percentage, from an NFL-best 72.9 percent in 2024 to 67.7 percent this season.
The other thing that's clear? Miami doesn't have an easy path to replace Tagovailoa in 2026. I don't see Daniel Jones signing there, and while a Kyler Murray trade would be interesting, it's likely not a realistic option. With Miami currently slated to draft 11th in the 2026 NFL Draft, none of the top quarterback options are likely to be on the board, though the team could add someone in the later rounds.
Mac Jones
This is the ideal Tagovailoa replacement, but the price has to be right for Miami to make a trade with the 49ers to acquire him.
Jones, a former first-round pick, really seemed to figure some things out in his eight starts for San Francisco this year. He wasn't able to do enough to steal the job from Brock Purdy, but he put the team in a good position while Purdy was sidelined, leading San Francisco to a 5-3 record over that span.
His 69.6 percent completion rate is a career high, as is his 4.5 percent touchdown rate. The 2021 Pro Bowler had really hit a wall over the last two seasons, but playing in Kyle Shananhan's offense revitalized him.
If the Dolphins keep Mike McDaniel around for another season as the head coach, Jones would get to play in an offense with a lot of similarities to the one in San Francisco, as McDaniel comes from Shanahan's coaching tree. If the Dolphins want to contend for a playoff spot next season, this is the best option.
Malik Willis
There's not a lot of free-agent talent at quarterback this offseason, but Packers quarterback Malik Willis is an intriguing option.
Originally drafted by the Titans in 2022, Willis looked like a bust in his three starts with the team. However, a move to Green Bay in 2024 changed that narrative. Willis made two starts for an injured Jordan Love, winning both of them. He ended the 2024 season with a 74.1 percent completion rate and three touchdowns to zero interceptions. He also added 138 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
While Willis probably isn't going to suddenly turn into a star, he's shown enough that he should be given a chance to compete for a starting job. There could be a bit of a bidding war here in a weak free agent quarterback class, but Miami should at least make an offer here.
Jameis Winston
It sounds like Jameis Winston is happy being the backup quarterback for the Giants in 2026, but the former No. 1 overall pick could be an intriguing option in Miami...if the Giants decide they're willing to trade him.
Winston might not be a great fit on paper for a McDaniel offense, but his big arm would make the Dolphins a fun team to watch.
And Winston clearly still has the skill to start football games. He led the Giants to a near-upset of Detroit earlier this season, throwing for 366 yards in an overtime loss. Yes, turnovers are an issue, but they were an issue with Tagovailoa as well. At least Winston can push the ball down the field.
Quinn Ewers
If all else fails, just see what the young guy can do.
I wrote the above sentence approximately 10 minutes before news broke that the Dolphins were turning things over to Quinn Ewers, so we are going to get to see what the young guy can do.
Because of that, I'll keep this section short, since there's no need to speculate on what Ewers would look like as the 2026 starter. We'll see over the final three weeks of the season if he has what it takes to do that. For what it's worth, I think he's probably going to be fine as a stopgap, but probably isn't Miami's long-term answer. But hey — maybe I'm wrong! We'll know soon enough.