With the Miami Dolphins crashing out of the AFC playoff picture and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa starting to regress, it is becoming clearer than ever before that whoever is hired as the next GM finds a way to bring in a veteran who could give Tagoavailoa some much-needed competition.
After signing former 2021 NFL Draft megabust Zach Wilson, Miami may need to go back to that class to find its next high-end backup after Mac Jones has given his career a shot in the arm with the San Francisco 49ers.
However, San Francisco's Monday Night Football game against Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers showed exactly why John Lynch might not be willing to give up Brock Purdy's backup to a team like Miami. Purdy isn't exactly doing a good job of slamming the "Mac should start" door shut.
Purdy threw three interceptions in the first half on three consecuctive drives, giving him more interceptions on the year than Jones despite only managing to play in four games. Dolphins fans dreaming of Mac possibly giving his old Alabama teammate in Tagovailoa a run for his money may need to put that dream on hold.
Dolphins may miss out on Mac Jones trade due to Brock Purdy struggles
Jones has completed 69% of his passes this season with 13 touchdowns and six interceptions. While Jones is still turning the ball over and is benefitting from the same Shanahan boost that has Nick Mullens cooking NFL defenses, Jones looked much better than when his career looked dead with New England and Jacksonville.
Even if the Dolphins are stuck with Tagovailoa for 2026 due to financial reasons, it seems likely that they will bring in some added competition for him. Veterans like old friend Jacoby Brissett, Marcus Mariota, and Jameis Winston could be had in free agency or via trade if Jones is off the market.
The other option is exploring mid-round options in the 2026 NFL Draft, which could lead to them targeting players like USC's Jayden Maiava, LSU's Garrett Nussmeier, or Oklahoma's John Mateer. The veteran option might be better for a team that may not dip fully into rebuild move just yet.
49ers fans need to hope that Purdy balls out, because if the 49ers even have a thought that he is starting to lose his grip on the starting job, they won't be considering any sort of deal that sends Jones to a QB-needy team.