Quarterback Options for the Miami Dolphins: Russell Wilson, Andy Dalton, Trey Lance and Others Could Make Sense

Miami’s offense looked downright bad with Skylar Thompson then Tim Boyle running the show. A team with De'Von Achane, Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill gained 205 total yards (including sack yardage) and scored three points.

When Thompson went down with an injury in the second half, a team with Super Bowl aspirations was suddenly hoping their third-string quarterback could steady the ship. It wasn’t good enough even when Thompson was in the game; the offensive talent is as good as any in the league, but that group is wasted without a quarterback who can get the ball where it needs to go.

The Dolphins could very well add a quarterback this week to try to salvage a season in which Tua Tagovailoa is out at least three more games and has no defined timeline for return. They will probably hold him out longer than necessary simply because everyone thinks they are a doctor and slams the table that Tua should retire; by keeping him out at least a month, Miami is making a PR move as much as a football or health move.

Making an upgrade at the quarterback position is the quickest way for this team to hold the line until Tagovailoa gets back and/or compete in 2024. Most of the appealing options won’t be available, as teams aren’t eager to deal talented quarterbacks during the season. There are guys who would surely be available at the right price, though, and would raise Miami’s floor and ceiling.

Let’s run through some of the quarterbacks currently on other rosters who could realistically end up on the Dolphins within the next week. Some guys are more available than others, but this is more of a wide-spanning list of candidates (and could even be longer). It's extremely difficult to add a guy to a new system on the fly after players have had months to fine-tune their timing, but that situation might still be better than what they currently have.

There’s also a free agent option out there and a familiar face in Ryan Tannehill. Tannehill is most appealing because he would only cost money, but he also might not be in football shape and ready to go right away the same as a guy who has been practicing every day; with Tagovailoa potentially back within a few weeks, Miami could get more out of a guy who could play next week even with little preparation.

Backups

Jake Browning, Cincinnati Bengals

Joshua Dobbs, San Francisco 49ers

Jimmy Garoppolo, Los Angeles Rams

Davis Mills, Houston Texans

Jarrett Stidham, Denver Broncos

These guys are all the same in terms of what the Dolphins would be getting: Backup quarterbacks who have had success in the past but don’t look like starters right now. Each would have the expectation of stabilizing the position either until Tua returns or for the whole season if the star were to remain sidelined.

Each player here has a much better chance of succeeding than Miami’s current backups, possibly making them more valuable to Miami than their current teams. It would cost each team their backup, though, so the Dolphins would surely have to pay up. The price would be different depending on the player, but anything from a second-round pick to a seventh rounder seems to be on the table.

More guys could go here, but I’m not going to list every backup in the league; these are just five names who stood out.

Andy Dalton, Carolina Panthers

He is currently the starter, but Dalton has been in the backup role for a few years and can still be classified that way for our purposes here. The Panthers aren’t going to go on a run, right? So why not capitalize on a big day from Dalton and send him to a team with hopes to contend right away. Miami would get an instant upgrade; Dalton could conceivably pick up an offense quickly as a seasoned veteran.

This would require putting Bryce Young back into the lineup one week after benching him, but playing is his best chance of becoming the franchise guy, and the team has film of what success in this offense looks like. Young could try to copy the repeatable parts of Dalton’s performance, at least putting together manageable outings.

The return wouldn’t be more than a late-round pick, but if Carolina can get the Dolphins to give up something like a fourth- or fifth-round pick off the heels of a 300-yard, three-touchdown game, they would gain a valuable asset and increase their chances at a higher draft pick by putting Young back in the lineup.

It may be unfair to the second-year QB, but it would be a case of maximizing future value.

Russell Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers

You could classify him as the starter based on what the Steelers have said since the preseason, but Wilson hasn’t played due to injury, leaving Justin Fields as the starter. With the Steelers beginning the season 3-0, Pittsburgh would at least have to entertain the idea of getting a draft pick for the former Seahawks and Broncos QB (who has a no-trade clause).

Wilson would probably like the opportunity to go play if he’s going to be relegated to backup duty in Pittsburgh, but it’s not guaranteed Wilson would sit behind Fields. The latter hasn’t had a great run even though the team has won, adding most of his value with his legs.

A mid-round pick for Wilson sounds fair, but Pittsburgh might rather keep him unless the Dolphins were willing to overpay.

Starters

Jacoby Brissett, New England Patriots

Drake Maye is the future in New England. The team isn’t built to compete, and they are sticking with Brissett for the time being probably in part to protect Maye.

You know what you’re getting with Brissett: a low ceiling, but usually someone who will protect the ball. That’s been the story through three games, as Brissett has combined for just 368 yards and one touchdown but hasn’t turned the ball over.

Maye got his first action at the end of Week 3; it’s only a matter of time before he’s playing regularly. If their division-mates in South Beach are willing to overpay for competence, the Patriots could pick up a mid-round pick, save some money, and clear the way for the future and Maye.

Justin Fields, Pittsburgh Steelers

I talked about Wilson above, but what if the Steelers still believe in the veteran more than Fields and want to cash in on what looks like a possible career renaissance but is probably just a three-game stretch of competent play while his team excels?

Fields was acquired for a conditional sixth-round pick and could probably net more from Miami, essentially flipping the quarterback like an old house. This would be a lot like the Dalton situation, just with a higher ceiling for the Dolphins and a higher draft pick needed as compensation.

If Miami calls and inquires, why not ask for a first-round pick and see what they say? It’s unlikely, but it would be a best-case scenario if Pittsburgh plans to move on from the quarterback at the end of the season.

Gardner Minshew, Las Vegas Raiders

Minshew is a capable veteran; he’s a little bit more volatile version of Brissett, for better and worse. The Raiders may have signed Minshew with the hope of being somewhat competitive in the short term, but again, a good enough trade offer would be a chance to cash in a player who isn’t part of the future plans.

The team would be handing the job back to Aidan O'Connell after he lost a training camp battle, and the players in the locker room would surely see it as punting on this season for the future. It would be in the best interest for the franchise, but it would kill any mojo the 2024 team currently has.

This is a very unlikely scenario, but the Raiders could ask for a future first-round pick and hope Miami is desperate enough to pay for the moon.

Lottery Tickets

Trey Lance, Dallas Cowboys

Lance’s only real chance to play ended during the second game of the 2022 season, when he suffered a broken leg and was eventually pushed out of franchise QB status by Brock Purdy.

The move to Dallas was unlikely to spur Lance’s career, but it’s even more likely now that he never plays real snaps with the Cowboys after Dak Prescott signed his big extension. The Dolphins would be hoping that the skill level of the third overall pick is still inside Lance and he can be a useful contributor.

The cost shouldn’t be too high, though it would require a hopeful contender weakening their quarterback room.

Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers

Let’s finish up with one of the most notable quarterbacks who could conceivably be available, though for all the wrong reasons. The Panthers have said they have no intention of trading last year’s top overall pick, but Dalton not only made the offense workable, he excelled.

That makes Young look even worse. The Panthers looked completely inept with the second-year passer before scoring 36 points against the Raiders. They scored almost three times as many points this week as they did in their first two games combined (13).

If the right trade comes up, Carolina must consider moving Young. I’m not sure the Dolphins would really look at this as a helpful move given his immense struggles, but Young is a guy who had as much value as anyone last year and will surely get another chance.