Image: Candid photo of a smiling Zach Wilson #4 of the Denver Broncos in uniform but wearing a team ballcap and looking on during the third quarter of a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on November 24, 2024.
Happy, Zach? Meet Zach Wilson, the Miami Dolphins' new backup quarterback. Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images
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Last week, free agent quarterback Zach Wilson agreed with the Miami Dolphins on a one-year, $6 million guaranteed deal that could grow to $10 million if Tua Tagovailoa misses extended playing time.
Days later, we’re all still wondering: Why? The Dolphins had no shortage of options for a backup quarterback for often-injured starter Tua Tagovailoa. Yet somehow, they landed on Wilson — another ex-Jet with more career interceptions than touchdowns — as the perfect insurance policy for one of the most frequently sidelined quarterbacks in the NFL.
Absolutely not. We will not accept this sitting down. We need a congressional hearing. We have questions.
What Did The Miami Dolphins See in Zach Wilson?
The Dolphins signing Wilson is dumbfounding for a multitude of reasons, most notably the fact that he is terrible at football, while other proven, available options are good at football. Jameis Winston, Marcus Mariota, and Gardner Minshew were all available.
Even Jimmy Garoppolo, who, for all his flaws and history of injury concerns, has led a team to a Super Bowl, just re-signed with the Rams for less than Zach Wilson’s base contract. So why did Miami sign Wilson — who has thrown 25 interceptions and 23 touchdowns in his career — the going rate for a quality backup?
Why Trust Wilson to Keep the Offense Afloat?
Leaving Zach Wilson in charge of backing up Tua is like giving the keys to an 8-year-old and telling them they're the designated driver if you drink too much tonight. What could go wrong?
If there is a team in the NFL that should understand that paying a premium now for backup quarterback insurance can save a season, it should be the Miami Dolphins, whose season ended in Week 2 when Tua was lost for five weeks owing to his latest concussion. Make it make sense.
Tua has missed 13 regular-season games and one playoff game during his NFL tenure. The Dolphins needed a reliable insurance plan. Instead they signed Wilson, who not only struggled on the field but also lost the confidence of his teammates in New York and was a camp arm in Denver last season.
Will the Dolphins Be Surprised When Tyreek Hill Explodes?
If Tyreek Hill had frustrations with Miami’s offense last season, imagine what will happen when Wilson throws passes in his general direction. The thought alone might drive the mercurial superstar to demand a trade in training camp.
After Hill refused to re-enter the season's final game against the Jets — and after the game not so subtly asked for a trade — it seemed all but certain the Dolphins would grant his request posthaste. In fact, they still might. Teams are notorious for circling back to plug their most significant needs before, during, and after April's NFL draft.
That said, if Miami does enter the season with Wilson as backup quarterback, ownership deserves whatever drama they get from Hill when things inevitably and predictably go south.
Did Miami Forget Their Locker Room Was an Immature Mess Last Season?
A backup quarterback doesn't do much on a daily b basis. But one thing a good veteran signal caller can always contribute is leadership — an attribute Mike McDaniel admitted the Dolphins sorely lacked last season.
So, did the Dolphins sign a player like Jameis Winston, whom teammates rave about? No, they signed Zach Wilson, whose claim to fame is that he is a former first-round pick the Jets couldn't wait to get rid of.
The Dolphins have spent years emphasizing team chemistry, particularly in the quarterback room. That's why they prioritized Ryan Fitzpatrick (ex-Jet) mentoring Tua, why they backed Teddy Bridgewater (ex-Jet, if only briefly) as a veteran presence, and why they wanted a supportive No. 2 behind Tua.
Why Did the Dolphins Ignore Last Year’s Backup-QB Disaster?
Did the Miami Dolphins forget that the tandem of Skylar Thompson and Mike White (ex-Jet) was an epic disaster? Did they lose track of being forced to sign Tyler Huntley off the Ravens' practice squad mid-season because they had no proven backup to Tua? We're seriously asking, because the signing of Zach Wilson makes us wonder if they have amnesia.
Miami learned the hard way last season that failing to sign a legitimate No. 2 QB is a recipe for disaster. Dolphins general manager Chris Grier even acknowledged that Miami was "in on a number of top-flight backup quarterbacks" last offseason but came up short.
To review: After recognizing that mistake, they landed on Zach Wilson, even though many quality backup quarterbacks were on the market in the $6 million to $10 million range. WTF?
Why Pay Wilson More Than a High-End Backup Typically Gets?
Again, WTF? Wilson’s contract — $6 million guaranteed, up to $10 million with incentives — exceeds Garoppolo’s ($4.5 million base, $9 million max). It vastly exceeds the $3.8 million the New England Patriots paid Joshua Dobbs. In fact, it's more than most backup quarterbacks will make this season.
Why?
Time and time again, the Dolphins have mishandled their backup quarterback situation. This is another misstep that could cost them when they need it most. Maybe Mike McDaniel and Chris Grier know something the rest of us don’t. But right now this move feels like a massive gamble with minimal upside.
We just want to know why the Miami Dolphins do this to themselves — and us.