The Miami Dolphins are bringing in a notorious NFL Draft bust as their backup quarterback for 2025.
The Dolphins have agreed to a one-year contract with free agent quarterback Zach Wilson, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Wilson’s deal is worth $6 million fully guaranteed and could rise to $10 million with incentives.
Wilson gets a pretty nice landing spot in Miami, where he will serve as Tua Tagovailoa’s primary backup. He spent 2024 in the same role with the Denver Broncos, where he looked great in preseason but was never actually needed once the regular season began.
A Miami Dolphins helmet on the grass
Aug 22, 2015; Charlotte, NC, USA; A Miami Dolphins helmet lays on the field prior to the start of the game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
Wilson has 33 career starts to his name, all with the New York Jets. The former No. 2 overall pick went just 12-21 as the team’s starter with 23 touchdown passes and 25 interceptions.
Given Tagovailoa’s extensive history of concussions, Miami no doubt wanted to make sure they have a capable backup quarterback on their roster. When Tagovailoa missed time in 2024, they were forced to turn to the likes of Tyler Huntley and Skylar Thompson, who went a combined 2-4 as starters and provided little in the way of production.
The Dolphins were a disappointment in 2024, going 8-9 and missing the playoffs for the first time in three seasons under coach Mike McDaniel. Keeping Tagovailoa healthy will be key to turning things around in 2025, but if they cannot do that, the hope is that Wilson will do a better job of keeping the team afloat than last year’s backups did.