The Miami Dolphins have a promising roster full of talented players, but they are currently littered with both injuries and question marks about how all of the pieces will fit together. This may be head coach Mike McDaniel's last chance to get things right, and he should act as such.
Quarterback Zach Wilson put together a lackluster preseason, as he was largely accurate throwing the ball but struggled in other aspects of the game. For instance, he took seven sacks in roughly a game and a half's worth of snaps.
He obviously played better than rookie Quinn Ewers, which gave him the No. 2 spot on the depth chart by default. But given Tua Tagovailoa's injury history, the Dolphins should have a better contingency plan than Wilson, who has a 12-21 record as an NFL starter.
Dolphins should kick the tires on Giants QB Jameis Winston
On Tuesday, the New York Giants released their initial depth chart, and first-round rookie Jaxson Dart landed as the backup behind Russell Wilson. This meant that veteran Jameis Winston, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, could become expendable.
The Dolphins should absolutely inquire about trading for Winston. It should not cost more than a Day 3 pick at this point, and he is likely to be an upgrade over Zach Wilson, given both his experience and leadership.
Winston may be a bit of a wild card, but he once led the league in passing yards and has a 33-touchdown campaign on his résumé. He has also spent six NFL seasons as the primary starter, whereas Wilson has only spent three, and he did not play in a game in 2024.
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If Tagovailoa goes down with an injury or cannot play for whatever reason, Dolphins fans should have more faith in Winston than Wilson in a bind. Plus, he is one of the most electric players in the league with his high-risk, high-reward playing style.
This may not be the perfect marriage for McDaniel's offense. But it would be intriguing to see fast players like Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, and Darren Waller take advantage of a quarterback with serious ability to throw the ball downfield.
McDaniel may feel like he has one last opportunity to right the ship in Miami, and he cannot put himself in a position where one injury derails that. Winston played at Florida State and for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, so it's only right that he ends up back in Florida.