Which QB should the Dolphins sign in 2022?

By: Khari Demos

The Miami Dolphins always seem to be an intriguing place for evaluating quarterbacks. With the selection of former Alabama star Tua Tagovailoa in the 2020 NFL Draft, it looked like the Dolphins had found their next best thing under center since Dan Marino.

But after two seasons, the jury may still be out on Tua. By comparison to his fellow 2020 draft mates, Justin Herbert and Joe Burrow are considered to be in the elite QB club. Herbert was the 2020 NFL Rookie of the Year and followed that up with a Pro Bowl selection in 2021, while Burrow just led Cincinnati back to the Super Bowl for the first time since the 1988 season.

Meanwhile, for Tua, he’s had far more struggles and had similar numbers this season to players who may be considered lesser at the position.

But even with all the smoke and rumors about Tua, the Dolphins have brought in head coach Mike McDaniel, who similarly to owner Stephen Ross, has vowed to help get the best out of the southpaw QB. Just take a look at what the new HC said about Tua on Thursday at the NFL Scouting Combine:

“I’m really excited moving forward because the guy has some skills that I think are untapped. I think it’s important that you empower the quarterback with the rest of the players around him and the scheme you bring forth. So, I think his best days are in front of him. And that’s a really cool piece of the process to be part of as a coach.”

Tua’s subtle athletic ability should fit well in McDaniel’s zone-run, bootleg-based system. The 38-year-old coach comes from the Shanahan coaching tree, having worked under both Mike and Kyle throughout his career. The movement and misdirection should work well for Tua as he enters Year 3.

So who should Miami target to back him up? I like it when teams add players who have similar skillsets to their starters, as well as guys who may have played under a coach before or in a similar scheme.

Also to consider, Chris Streveler is the team’s only other QB under contract for 2022, as the Dolphins enter free agency with a league-high $61. 2 million in cap space, according to Spotrac. Plus, with Tua’s injury history that includes a fractured hip at ‘Bama, as well as missing four games this past season, Miami needs a viable backup just in case he misses anymore action.

With all things considered, here are three names the Dolphins should highly consider bringing to their QB room.

Tyrod Taylor

One of the more experienced QBs on the market, Taylor no question fits the same mold as a player like Tua. Not only does he have high-level athleticism for the position, running a lot of play-action and boot game will be similar to what he did while in Buffalo. His 1,575 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns helped the Bills finish as a top-five rushing team twice in his three years as a starter, including his 2015 season where he was a Pro Bowl alternate.

Last season also showed that Taylor can still play, even in a limited fashion. Even with what many considered arguably the worst roster in football with the Houston Texans, the Virginia Tech product had a strong showing in a Week 1 smackdown of the Jacksonville Jaguars, before going 10 for 11 in Week 2 against the Cleveland Browns before injuring his hamstring.

Once healthy, Taylor then helped Houston knock off the AFC’s eventual No. 1-seed in the Tennessee Titans in Week 11.

Similar to Tua, Taylor’s biggest issue seems to be health, as he’s missed action in three of the last four seasons. But that’s why he could make the perfect backup for Tua and something else to consider with Taylor is his recent history with young QBs.

Whether it was Herbert, Baker Mayfield, or Davis Mills last season, Taylor has been more mentor than impact player over the last few seasons. He did have his days in the sun leading Buffalo back to the playoffs in 2017, but his days as a starting QB are likely behind him.

But as a QB with a dual-threat skill set and prior experience as a starter in the NFL? That sounds like the perfect type of backup for a young signal-caller.

Colt McCoy

The former Texas Longhorn QB has had more downs than ups throughout his NFL career, but the 2021 campaign was his best yet, as he helped the Arizona Cardinals go 2-1 in a stretch without Kyler Murray. Even in a small sample size, his 101.4 passer rating, 54.5 QBR and 74.7% completion rate were some of the best marks of his career.

His best showing of the year came in a Week 11 win over Seattle. McCoy went 35 for 44 with 328 passing yards and two TDs.

So like Taylor, McCoy’s undersized stature (6-foot-1, 212 pounds) and movement ability would not only present similarly to Tua’s, but would also fit perfectly in McDaniel’s spin on the Shanahan system. The biggest issue here may be Arizona letting McCoy walk, as the Cardinals have noted how crucial it’ll be to bring him back for his 12th NFL season.

Marcus Mariota

This might be the zestiest name of the group for several reasons. First off, there’s still a lot of high hopes for a player that was selected No. 2 overall in the 2015 NFL Draft.

Another dual-threat player at QB, Mariota could also be a fit for McDaniel’s system with his ability to roll out and get the ball out in a West Coast scheme. The former Oregon Ducks QB rushed for over 300 yards on three occasions as a Tennessee Titan.

But over the last three seasons, the 28-year-old has not put much tread on his tires, as he’s only played in 18 games since 2019 (including six starts). Things did not end well for the 2014 Heisman Trophy Winner in Nashville, so he had to find a different role in a different place, eventually landing with Las Vegas to back up Derek Carr.

Mariota did not see much action during his time with the Raiders, but he drew a ton of buzz for his performance against the Dolphins late in the 2020 season after Carr bowed out due to injury.

I think one other very underrated factor here is Mariota and Tua’s relationship. As two Hawaiian born signal callers, it has been stated how much the Dolphins’ starting QB has looked up to Mariota over the years, so there’d be a natural, mutual respect if he were to come to Miami.

So that may give the Dolphins an upper hand in terms of signing Mariota. But what could be the biggest roadblock for this deal is his desire to return to the starting QB ranks in the league. Here’s what he said during training camp last year in an interview with the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Adam Hill.

“Absolutely,” Mariota said when asked if he keeps an eye on other QB situations throughout the NFL. “It is my goal (to be a starter), so I do keep tabs on what’s going on. For us as players, it’s kind of important to see what the landscape is. That being said, I enjoy this team. It’s a great organization to play for.”

That may be the biggest issue here for Miami. But if the Dolphins are able to convince Mariota to mentor a player in Tua that he’s mentored since the latter was in fourth grade, they could have a great QB insurance policy on their hands down in South Beach.