The Miami Dolphins made a couple of bold moves in their quarterback room over the last 24 hours. On Saturday, they traded backup QB Quinn Ewers to the Jaguars. On Sunday, they released both Cam Miller and Mark Gronowski.
The Dolphins found themselves in a precarious position with only Malik Willis on the roster. As expected, Jon-Eric Sullivan had a plan, and it included channeling his knowledge of the Green Bay Packers offense. He is trading for Kyle McCord.
Trade: Packers are sending QB Kyle McCord to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for a 2028 6th-round pick, per sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 30, 2026
After trading Quinn Ewers to the Jaguars, the Dolphins needed a new backup for Malik Willis. Now the Dolphins have two former Packers QBs. pic.twitter.com/UWi7jfGYpp
Miami Dolphins trade for backup quarterback after gutting their QB room
There isn't a lot to know about McCord. He was a sixth-round pick by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2025. He spent most of the season on the practice squad and was released in January. The Packers added him on a futures contract. His tape from Syracuse, however, jumps out.
McCord wasn't likely to make the Packers' roster, and Sullivan didn't have firsthand knowledge of the player, considering he left Green Bay in January to join Miami, but he was part of the scouting process ahead of the 2025 draft and may have had a hand in adding McCord before taking the Dolphins job.
The Dolphins didn't have to look far to get a report on McCord. After spending his entire rookie season on the Eagles' practice squad, his coach, Kevin Patullo, is now the passing game coach for the Dolphins. Patullo was the Eagles' OC last year.
It's also likely that Sullivan made a phone call or received one. According to Lombardi Ave's Freddie Boston, there was a chance that Miami would have claimed the QB had the Packers released him. Instead, they traded him and got something in return.
Green Bay liked what they saw in McCord. The QB threw for four touchdowns in preseason work this year and 446 yards with just one interception. Those are stats that are head and shoulders above what the Dolphins' backups turned in.
McCord threw for 446 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs, 102.4 passer rating for Packers in preseason.. At Syracuse in 2024, McCord was ranked No. 1 nationally in the regular season in total passing yards (4,326), passing attempts (558), completions (367), completions per game (30.58), and… https://t.co/Wj5QpvzrT9
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) August 30, 2026
Boston made it clear that the Packers were hoping to slip him through waivers, but the release of Miller and Mark Gronowski, along with the trade of Ewers, made Miami a QB dart looking for a bullseye.
McCord played for Ohio State and Syracuse at the NCAA level. He has a promising future, but most see him as a career backup. In Miami, he will get a chance to prove that, but he also has to know that the Dolphins are likely to draft a future franchise-level QB in the next draft, and that means McCord's future in Miami could be short.
As for the emergency third QB, the Dolphins are leaning towards Gronowski over Miller, per a social media report by Mike Garafolo. It would make sense, as Gronowski looked better at times, but neither player is going to be a reliable option as a 53-man roster backup.
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