There are Miami Dolphins fans who believe rookie Quinn Ewers is going to overtake Zach Wilson for the backup quarterback job. After the first preseason game, it looked as though both were mistakes.
Wilson's second preseason game was better, but not great, while Ewers improved considerably after his week one jitters faded. That led many to see a pathway for Ewers to overtake Wilson.
On Saturday, Mike McDaniel made it clear that Wilson is the number two quarterback, and Wilson made sure everyone knew the job was his.
Zach Wilson shines in preseason finale, closing the book on Dolphins backup QB competition
Wilson took over for Tua Tagovailoa, who played three series. He continued through the third quarter as well and was sharp and consistent with his throws despite facing pressure from the Jaguars' defense.
Wilson exited the game midway through the third quarter and looked sharp when he was given time in the pocket, something that was a problem most of the evening for all the quarterbacks. He finished the game 9 of 13 for 80 yards and was sacked twice. He led the Dolphins on a touchdown drive that ended with Mike Boone taking it in off the edge.
The Dolphins' backup wasn't perfect during the preseason, which will likely leave many fans hoping for Ewers if the Dolphins have to rely on Wilson for any period of time. Wilson's performance was good enough to close the door on the competition, but the fact that McDaniel went with Wilson first is a pretty good indication of what the Dolphins' plans are.
For his part, Ewers overcame a poor first preseason game to give the Dolphins a reason to move him up the depth chart, but Wilson avoided having a horrible outing. He should enter the season as the number two guy, but the competition may run throughout the season, especially if Wilson plays poorly, should he be on the field.
On Saturday, Ewers only saw three series and wasn't given much help from the offensive line, or the play calling, for that matter. With the game in hand, Ewers' final drive of the night came on the Jaguars' side of the field, and the Dolphins were content to run the clock out. He finished the night with seven completions on eight attempts for 66 yards.