If you haven’t checked the Miami depth chart lately, you're in for a shock. The situation in South Beach has moved past "unstable" and landed squarely in "total overhaul." For years, we talked about Tua Tagovailoa as the franchise. Now? He’s technically sitting as the third-string emergency option.
It's wild.
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The Miami Dolphins backup QB spot has become the most interesting seat in the house because, honestly, nobody is quite sure who is actually backing up whom anymore. As of January 2026, the room is led by Quinn Ewers—the rookie who snatched the starting job in December—leaving Zach Wilson as the primary backup and Tua in a sort of professional limbo.
If you told a Dolphins fan two years ago that Zach Wilson would be the direct backup to a rookie seventh-rounder while Tua watched from the sidelines in a jersey, they’d have walked you out of the stadium. But here we are.
The Current Hierarchy: Zach Wilson and the 2026 Shift
Zach Wilson is the name you need to know right now. After a rocky start to his career in New York and a quiet stint in Denver, Wilson landed in Miami on a one-year "prove it" deal for the 2025 season. He wasn't supposed to be the savior. He was supposed to be the insurance policy.
Then reality hit.
Tua struggled. The offense stalled. Mike McDaniel, fighting to keep his own job, made the move that sent shockwaves through the AFC East. He benched the $212 million man. Quinn Ewers, a seventh-round pick out of Texas, took the reins. This effectively bumped Zach Wilson into the spotlight as the guy one snap away from the field.
Wilson’s role is unique because he’s actually playing the best football of his life, even if it’s mostly in practice and garbage time. In his limited preseason and relief snaps, he’s shown a "scrambler's mentality" that fits McDaniel's scheme better than we expected. He’s averaging nearly 9 yards per scramble. That’s not a typo. He’s faster than people think, hitting 19.19 mph on his top-end runs.
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But there’s a catch. Wilson is on a one-year deal. With the 2026 offseason officially here, the Dolphins have a massive decision: do they re-sign the veteran backup to mentor Ewers, or do they let him walk and hunt for a "high-end veteran" as insiders like Marcel Louis-Jaques have suggested?
Why the Backup QB in Miami Actually Matters
Most teams treat their QB2 like a fire extinguisher—you hope you never have to use it. In Miami, the backup is basically a co-starter. Since 2021, Tua has dealt with:
- Rib fractures
- A fractured finger
- Multiple concussions
- A hip injury that ended his 2024 season early
Because of that history, the Miami Dolphins backup QB isn't just a clipboard holder. They are the person who will inevitably play four to six games. We saw this with Skylar Thompson, who is now in Pittsburgh. We saw it with Tyler Huntley, who spent 2024 trying to keep the ship afloat before heading back to Baltimore.
The backup in this system has to be able to process at light speed. McDaniel’s offense relies on timing. If you’re a millisecond late on a slant to Jaylen Waddle, the play is dead. That’s why the team moved on from guys like Tim Boyle. They needed someone with "plus" athleticism who could survive when the timing broke down.
The Tua Problem: From Starter to "Backup"
Let’s be real for a second. Tua Tagovailoa being the "emergency third" quarterback is the weirdest salary cap situation in the NFL. He’s got nearly $100 million in dead cap if they cut him. He recently told the Palm Beach Post that playing elsewhere would be "dope."
That is not the language of a guy who plans on being the backup for long.
Right now, the Dolphins are paying a backup's backup the salary of a top-five starter. It’s creating a massive bottleneck in the front office. While Quinn Ewers is the future (for now), the "backup" role held by Zach Wilson is the only thing keeping the offense functional if the rookie hits a wall.
What's Next for the Miami QB Room?
The team is currently looking for a new General Manager after Chris Grier was let go. This new GM is going to inherit a mess. They have the No. 11 pick in the 2026 draft. Do they use it on another quarterback? Or do they lean into the Ewers/Wilson/Tua trio and hope for a trade?
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If you’re watching this team, keep an eye on these specific moves:
- Zach Wilson’s Contract: If they don’t re-sign him by March, they are effectively saying they don't trust him to be the bridge.
- The Trade Market: If a team like the Giants or Raiders gets desperate, Tua might finally get his wish, clearing the path for Miami to sign a true veteran backup.
- The "Vester" Hunt: Expect the Dolphins to kick the tires on guys like Jameis Winston or even a returning Tyler Huntley if they want more stability behind Ewers.
Basically, the era of "Tua or bust" is over. We are now in the era of "Whoever is healthy and cheap." It's a gritty, somewhat depressing transition for a team that had Super Bowl aspirations not long ago, but it’s the reality of the NFL in 2026.
Your Actionable Next Steps:
- Monitor the Waiver Wire: As the 2026 free agency period opens, look for Miami to target "mobility-first" backups who fit the McDaniel RPO scheme.
- Watch the Salary Cap: Track the "Post-June 1" designation for Tua. If a trade happens, it likely won't be official until then to save Miami from a catastrophic cap hit.
- Evaluate Ewers' Tape: If you’re a fan, go back and watch the final three games of the 2025 season. His chemistry with Malik Washington (who has emerged as a WR1 candidate) will dictate whether the backup QB even needs to be a "starter-caliber" player.
The Miami Dolphins backup QB isn't just a roster spot anymore; it’s a symptom of a franchise trying to find its soul again. Whether it's Zach Wilson, a rookie, or a veteran trade, the days of a settled depth chart in Miami are long gone.