The Miami Dolphins kicked off a fire sale earlier this week with the release of four players, including wide receiver Tyreek Hill and edge rusher Bradley Chubb. More releases are expected to be made, and at the top of the list is quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
Miami has been heavily rumored to land QB Malik Willis as a potential replacement ever since general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley got to town, but it's possible that his price tag will put the Dolphins out of reach in acquiring him. If that's the case, Miami could opt to just roll with Quinn Ewers and draft a rookie at some point of the 2026 NFL Draft.
This is expected to be a challenging year for Miami, either way you slice it, but tanking is not going to be in the wheelhouse for Sullivan and Hafley, no matter the outcome. Therefore, the Dolphins could opt to sign a more inexpensive veteran QB, particularly one who has experience with offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik.
Cameron Wolfe calls Jimmy Garoppolo a more inexpensive option for the Miami Dolphins
NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe recently discussed the QB options for Miami and noted that Willis could be priced out for the organization. He added an interesting note, though, that the Dolphins could look to add former Los Angeles Rams QB Jimmy Garoppolo as an inexpensive bridge option.
Wolfe begins by reiterating that the Dolphins prefer to trade Tagovailoa first and foremost. That may not be a possibility, though, regardless of how much Miami is willing to spend to offload Tua's heavy contract. Thus, a cut could be in the near future. Whether the Dolphins choose to eat all of the dead cap in one year or spread it out over two, the result will likely be the same, and Tua Tagovailoa will no longer be with the Miami Dolphins.
Wolfe went on to discuss Miami's options at the position going forward, pointing out that Ewers is the incumbent and will get an opportunity to start in 2026. The analyst also mentioned Willis as a favorite, but with a $20+ million annual expectancy, the Dolphins could be out on the former Green Bay Packers quarterback.
Miami did itself a service in its releases in terms of the salary cap, but it's doubtful they'll be looking to dole out $20+ million annually to a quarterback who hasn't yet proved worthy of it. Thus, Wolfe's added note of the Dolphins possibly looking at Garoppolo makes sense in a lot of ways.
"...Jimmy Garoppolo, who has a lot of experience with their offensive coordinator, Slowik. Maybe he's a less expensive option for them in free agency," noted Wolfe. Interestingly enough, Wolfe ended the segment, saying, "If they don't get a draft-pick quarterback this year, maybe they're one of those teams that 'March for Arch'," referencing current Texas QB Arch Manning in the 2027 class.
Garoppolo would not be a favorite among many Dolphins fans, but his past experience with Slowik cannot be ignored. The two spent six seasons together with the San Francisco 49ers from 2017 to 2022, with Slowik spending four of them coaching on the offensive side of the ball in some capacity. In 2019, with Garoppolo under the helm, the 49ers earned the NFC's No. 1 seed and reached the Super Bowl. They also made another NFC Championship Game appearance two years later.
Garoppolo has spent the last two seasons with the Los Angeles Rams, where he's been holding a clipboard in place of Matthew Stafford. He didn't throw a pass this past season and appeared in just one game in 2024. Stafford has already announced that he'll be returning for 2026, and Garoppolo may be just fine sitting in his role as his backup, but if he wants another opportunity to start in the NFL, there aren't many more options than Miami.
Injuries derailed Garoppolo's time in San Francisco. Ironically, he broke his foot against the Dolphins in late 2022, opening the door for Brock Purdy to begin his emergence into the league. In his six seasons, though, with the 49ers, Garoppolo totaled 13,599 passing yards, 82 touchdowns, 42 interceptions, and completed 67.6% of his passes.
He's played sparingly since his time in San Francisco, so it's anyone's guess what he could bring to Miami if the Dolphins were to sign him. Nevertheless, a Garoppolo signing would be an ultimate bridge option for the Dolphins in place of their future franchise quarterback. I know a lot of Dolphins fans would not be happy with this move, but even if it were, it's not likely to stop Miami from the "March for Arch."