of Dolphin'The season is in serious trouble and it is painfully clear that maintaining the status quo will lead to the season failing.
Miami is Seahawks A 24-3 blowout loss on Sunday afternoon made it clear that Mike McDaniel's offense will suffer serious setbacks without a capable quarterback under center. Regardless of how highly you think of Tua Tagovaila, there's no doubt he has a knack for navigating McDaniel's system and knows how to find the team's YAC athletes and open up the field — something backup Skylar Thompson couldn't do, nor could Tim Boyle, who had to play.
This year was supposed to be a highlight for the Dolphins, but so far it has been a nightmare. As it stands, Tua can't practice or play until Week 8 at the earliest, but even then the schedule seems very promising given the severity of Tagovailoa's three concussions. Until then, they have games against the Titans, Patriots, Colts and Cardinals, which is a very favorable schedule but also a curse. This is the easiest stretch of the Dolphins schedule, one where the team is projected to finish 4-0, but judging by the level of play, it's hard to favor Miami in any game at this point.
The front office can't afford to sit back and wait for Tua to return if they want to make a playoff run in 2024, especially with the Jets finding their footing and the Bills proving to be a division powerhouse again. They need to make bold moves to save this season while also having a plan in place in case Tua doesn't return until later in the season.
3 free agents worth signing
Ryan Tannehill
This name has been the favorite to be considered, and rightly so. Tannehill didn't sign in free agency and isn't currently on the roster due to his apparent reluctance to serve as a veteran mentor to a young quarterback. But Miami is different. With the Dolphins, he'll simply be asked to go out there and throw short passes without taking too many risks. That's not Tannehill's forte as a quarterback, but he could handle it.
There has been plenty of internal conflict since Tannehill first joined the team, but this is an almost entirely new organization outside of the executive level and he's still a player looking to prove he can make it in the league.
It's unclear what kind of contract he will demand, but as things stand there's no better option than to be patient, pay Tannehill and hope he can get them to a point where Tua is ready to take over in time for the playoffs.
Cam Newton
Another player who has garnered attention is a former MVP who has publicly stated that he feels he can still play and contribute at a high level. Granted, he's been away from football for a few years now, and that doesn't really matter when other options are as scarce as the players Miami can currently put on the field.
Short-distance accuracy has always been a bit of a weakness for Newton, who prefers to throw big passes to create explosive plays, but his ability as a runner gives him more room to exploit for a coach like McDaniel. This is definitely a situation to keep an eye on, because it could work.
Desmond Ridder
There's a big drop off before we get to the next name, but we've seen in recent weeks how a change of scenery can affect a quarterback. Malik Willis had a big year in Green Bay, Sam Darnold had a big year in Minnesota, Justin Fields SteelersHere are some examples:
It wasn't that long ago that Ridder was one of the top quarterbacks available in the 2022 NFL Draft. There's a chance (albeit slim) that he could work well as part of Miami's offense and give the team a young player who can step in whenever needed as a long-term backup to Tua.
Unfortunately, they need someone to replace Tua, and that number seems to be growing.
Three potential trade targets
Bryce Young
Rumors circulated around the Dolphins as soon as the Panthers benched Bryce Young, and rightfully so. If there's anyone who can use their size to their advantage, it's Mike McDaniels, and with a disastrous start to the season, it's easy to forget that Young was finding his footing towards the end of his rookie season.
The question is compensation. At this point, the Panthers have no incentive to trade Young for a Day 3 pick, as some had expected. Whether or not they intend to start him again in 2024, the organization has invested too much in him to just let it go anytime soon.
That means the Dolphins may have to go over budget if they want to acquire Young, which would require putting a lot of faith in his abilities from Alabama and giving up any chance he'll have as a pro. That's a tough reality to swallow.
Russell Wilson
Let’s bring this up because it’s interesting: The Steelers are facing a QB controversy as Russell is set to return from injury, but the team is doing well so far with Justin Fields.
A trade could solve this issue for both teams, giving the Dolphins a player in Wilson who can arguably run the offense they need and do it very well, while the Steelers will continue to keep an eye on Fields to determine if he's a long-term solution at the position or just a stopgap until 2024.
You're not getting an elite Seahawks Russ at this stage in his career, but you are getting a player who can still perform well as he gets older if he's put in a position to succeed, and Miami could be just the landing spot he needs, taking a lot of pressure off both teams.
Carson Wentz
How important is a backup QB actually to Kansas City? These teams have a history of trading with each other dating back to the Tyreek Hill deal, which suggests Kansas City isn't too worried about trading to a championship contender in their conference.
Wentz has steadily rebuilt himself and developed into a solid backup quarterback who can step in and play when needed. He's an accurate passer and excels at short passes, which is exactly what the Dolphins need right now.
This isn't a sexy move, it's not a very exciting one, but Miami could do a lot worse.
