The Miami Dolphins might still believe they can recover from a 1-5 start to their 2025 season, but fans already know this one is long gone. At this point, Miami will be lucky to beat the Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons, and New Orleans Saints before facing the tough part of the schedule.
Mike McDaniel's future as the Dolphins' head coach has been a hotly debated topic since the end of last year, but now it is almost a certainty that he will be gone at the end of the season, if not before. One player could at least get him through most of this year.
Quinn Ewers is sitting on the bench, but now is the time to get him the useful reps he needs to become an NFL quarterback.
Dolphins should start planning for Quinn Ewers to play each week and let the season end where it may
This is not to say that McDaniel should outright bench Tua Tagovailoa — he shouldn't. What McDaniel should do, however, is commit to getting Ewers in-game reps in the second half, especially if the Dolphins are losing. For the last couple of games, the Dolphins have been in it late, but even that may not carry much weight.
The first half should belong to Tagovailoa. McDaniel should let it ride and see how the team is playing, but if the game is out of hand, if Tagovailoa is making more mental errors and errant throws, there is no need to keep him in the pocket. Get the young QB some playing time.
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Ewers showed enough in preseason to believe there might be at least a little something to develop. Now the team needs to know if they have someone who can do it. Miami is heading toward more than just a losing season; they are headed toward a top-five pick in next year's draft.
McDaniel's commitment to playing Ewers is clearly a sign that he is giving up on the season, but it also shows Stephen Ross that he is willing to take one for the team and help build the roster for the future. Ross may be more inclined to keep McDaniel around if that were to present itself.
The Dolphins need to address the quarterback position next year, but knowing what they have in Ewers would help make that decision a bit easier. Do they bring someone in to compete with Ewers next season and find a trade for Tagovailoa, or do they see that Ewers is not going to be an answer?
At best, the Dolphins need to realize that even if Ewers isn't the eventual replacement for Tagovailoa, he is 100 percent expected to be the replacement for Zach Wilson. No time like the present to start getting that guy up and ready to go.