Rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers will make his third consecutive start on Sunday in the Miami Dolphins' regular-season finale. Ahead of their matchup against the New England Patriots, though, the Dolphins added to the QB unit by bringing in another rookie.
Three days ahead of the last game of the season, Miami added rookie QB Cam Miller to the active roster. Miller was selected by the Las Vegas Raiders in the sixth round last April and was on their practice squad when the Dolphins came along and snagged him up.
It's a minor move by the Dolphins, but it's an interesting one nonetheless. Not only is it at the QB position, which is always going to raise eyebrows when it involves Miami, but Miller has the backing of arguably the greatest quarterback of all time.
Dolphins poach former North Dakota State QB off Raiders' practice squad
The Raiders are in the driver's seat for the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, yet Miller still hasn't seen the field as an NFL player. That's because he was drafted as a developmental piece after a successful collegiate career with the North Dakota State Bison. His 45 total touchdowns last season to just four interceptions got the attention of future Hall of Famer and current minority owner of the Raiders, Tom Brady.
"Tom Brady, as a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, endorsed North Dakota State QB Cam Miller before the 2025 NFL Draft, praising his throwing technique and potential, leading the Raiders to select Miller in the sixth round as a developmental player, a move Miller found… https://t.co/7pmdKACQAD
— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) January 1, 2026
Receiving praise from an all-time great like Brady -- who was also a sixth-round pick himself -- is of high honor. It's also worth noting that Miller was selected 16 spots ahead of Ewers in the 2025 draft.
Despite signing Miller to the active roster, he won't be activated for Miami's final regular-season game. Instead, as the Miami Herald's Barry Jackson pointed out, the "Dolphins wanted to get him in the building for [the] offseason and see what's there."
Given Miller's dual athleticism as a passer and a runner, the move makes great sense for Miami.
The Dolphins are on the lookout for their franchise QB, so bringing in a bunch of players to see what they have is a smart approach.
As sixth- and seventh-round selections, respectively, expectations for either Miller or Ewers being the guy are considerably low. Nevertheless, we've seen guys like Brady and current San Francisco 49ers QB Brock Purdy, with late Day 3 draft capital, develop into elite franchise quarterbacks before. So it's worth a shot seeing what Ewers and Miller can do next offseason.
Miami is ready to be rid of Tua Tagovailoa, and despite the trickiness of his hefty contract, I believe the Dolphins will find a way to make sure he is not in the building for 2026. Meanwhile, Zach Wilson is on a one-year deal with Miami and not likely to return. The Dolphins are also currently out of the top 10 for 2026 draft positioning in a year of a weaker QB class.
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Fernando Mendoza is out of the question, as the Raiders are expected to take him with the No. 1 overall pick if they secure it. No other quarterback in the class is probably worth Miami taking in the first round. With five picks in the top 100, the Dolphins could draft someone later in the process to develop, but Miller's signing may be in place of that, allowing them to focus on other positions of need.
Regardless of the mentality, outside of a potential veteran free agent being signed, the Dolphins could go into the 2026 offseason with Ewers and Miller as their top two quarterbacks. That may concern some within the fan base, but it's probably more of a win-win for the franchise at the end of the day.
If either Ewers and/or Miller can prove their worth in 2026, then the Dolphins would have found their franchise QB in the cheapest way imaginable. That would be incredibly lucky for a franchise that has been anything but over the last 25 years.
On the contrary, if neither player can prove that they are anything more than a qualified backup QB, the Dolphins are sure to be in a prime position to draft their next franchise player. The 2027 class is expected to be loaded with quarterbacks. Simultaneously, the Dolphins are expected to take a backseat next season as they look to rebuild. If they're unsuccessful in getting competent QB play, chances are they'll be picking within the top 5 in 2027.
Miller's signing will likely lead to nothing, but it's a no-risk move at the most important position in the game. If he develops into the player Brady believes he can be, this will end up being a major move by Miami.