Honestly, if you looked at the Miami Dolphins quarterback depth chart back in August, you’d have seen a pretty standard setup. Tua Tagovailoa was the guy. He had the massive contract extension. He had the keys to Mike McDaniel’s high-speed track meet of an offense. But things in the NFL move fast. One minute you're the face of the franchise, and the next, you're the emergency third-stringer watching a rookie seventh-round pick take your snaps.
That’s exactly where we are as we head into 2026.
The depth chart currently looks like a fever dream. Quinn Ewers is at the top. Zach Wilson—yes, that Zach Wilson—is the primary backup. And Tua? He’s buried at the bottom of the active list. It’s a mess. A fascinating, expensive, high-stakes mess that has the entire league wondering what Chris Grier and Mike McDaniel are actually planning for the 2026 season.
The current Dolphins quarterback depth chart reality
Right now, the pecking order in Miami is flipped on its head. After a rough stretch in late 2025, Mike McDaniel made the call that felt like a localized earthquake in South Florida: he benched Tua.
- Quinn Ewers: The rookie out of Texas. He was a seventh-round flyer who suddenly found himself starting against the Bengals in Week 16 of the 2025 season.
- Zach Wilson: The former Jets bust who found a second (or third) life in Miami. He’s the bridge guy, the safety net who stayed QB2 even when the starter changed.
- Tua Tagovailoa: The $212 million man. He’s currently the "emergency third QB." It’s a demotion that basically screams "we’re moving on," even if the salary cap says otherwise.
- Cam Miller: The North Dakota State product. He's been hanging around the practice squad and the bottom of the roster, mostly as a developmental body.
It’s wild to think about.
Ewers hasn't exactly lit the world on fire. He finished his first few looks with a QBR around 31.3 and a 1-2 record. He looks like a rookie. He plays like a rookie. But the Dolphins seem determined to see what they have in him because the alternative is a financial nightmare they aren't ready to wake up from just yet.
Why the Tua situation is a cap nightmare
Here is the thing nobody wants to talk about: Tua's contract is basically a prison. You can't just "cut" a guy who is owed $54 million in guaranteed cash for 2026. If the Dolphins released him before June 1, 2026, they would get hit with a dead cap charge of **$99.2 million**.
That isn't a typo. Nearly $100 million just to not have a player on your team.
Even a post-June 1 cut is brutal, splitting that hit into $67.4 million in 2026 and another $31.8 million in 2027. It's the kind of math that gets General Managers fired. Because of this, the Dolphins quarterback depth chart might actually include Tua in 2026 simply because they can't afford to get rid of him. They’re stuck.
He’s the most expensive backup in the history of the sport.
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Exploring the 2026 trade rumors
Since Ewers hasn't cemented himself as "The One," the rumor mill is spinning faster than Tyreek Hill on a post route. We’ve heard the names. Everyone from Kyler Murray to Tanner McKee is being linked to Miami.
The McKee idea is actually gaining some steam. Ben Solak over at ESPN recently suggested the Eagles might flip their backup to Miami for a middle-round pick. McKee is 25, smart, and doesn't turn the ball over. For a team that watched Tua throw 15 interceptions in 14 games during the 2025 season, "boring and safe" sounds kinda like a vacation.
Then there’s the Kyler Murray pipe dream.
Imagine Kyler in McDaniel's system. The speed would be terrifying. But could he handle the timing-based requirements? McDaniel's offense is built on the ball being out in 2.2 seconds. Kyler likes to scramble and create. It’s a clash of styles that would either be a masterpiece or a total disaster.
What happens next for Miami?
The Dolphins are at a crossroads. They have a roster built to win right now—Jaylen Waddle, De'Von Achane, and a defense featuring stars like Minkah Fitzpatrick and Bradley Chubb. They can’t afford to waste 2026 on a "developmental" year with a seventh-round pick.
If they can’t find a trade partner for Tua (which, let's be real, who is taking that contract?), they have to decide if they’re going to let him compete to get his job back or if the bridge is truly burned.
Practical steps for the Dolphins front office:
- Decide on the post-June 1 designation: If they are truly done with Tua, they need to file the paperwork early to spread that $99M cap hit.
- Identify a "Bridge" Veteran: Whether it’s a trade for someone like Tanner McKee or taking a swing on a free agent like Malik Willis, they need a high-floor starter.
- Aggressive Scouting: With Oregon’s Dante Moore staying in school, the 2026 draft class just got thinner. Miami might have to look at the 2027 class for a long-term fix.
The Dolphins quarterback depth chart isn't just a list of names right now; it's a reflection of a franchise trying to figure out if its window is closing or if it just needs a new person behind the wheel. One thing is certain: the 2026 offseason in Miami is going to be the most expensive soap opera in the NFL.
For fans, the move is to watch the March 15 deadline closely. That’s when another $3 million of Tua's 2027 salary becomes guaranteed. If he's still on the roster past that date, the Dolphins are likely grit-and-bearing it for one more year. It’s not ideal, but in the NFL, the cap always wins.
Watch the waiver wire and the trade blocks. The 2026 starter for Miami might not even be on the roster yet.