Malik Willis should be just fine to play in Week 2 for the Miami Dolphins against the San Francisco 49ers, despite his presence on the Dolphins’ injury report.
But just the mere mention of a Willis injury does raise a fair point: The backup quarterback position in Miami is also a fascinating one on the QB depth chart.
The Dolphins don’t have any quarterback on their roster right now who was also a part of the team in 2025. That’s not totally surprising, of course, because the front office and coaching staff are new, too. But it does mean that it isn’t super straightforward to know who has what job.
It could prove important, and this week, Willis is indeed on the injury report. He’s listed with a toe injury, but he has been a full participant in practice on both Wednesday and Thursday. Assuming no Friday surprises, there’s no immediate concern here for the Dolphins’ new starting quarterback.
If Willis’ toe acts up, though, or if he encounters something else, what happens then? It’s a worthwhile question.
Who is Dolphins’ Backup QB?
On paper, the backup quarterback in Miami appears to be Kyle McCord.
McCord didn’t actually play in the preseason for the Dolphins, though, so that’s not a guaranteed role.
He was drafted by the Eagles in 2025 out of Syracuse (after previously playing at Ohio State), but he didn’t last long in Philadelphia and instead latched on with Green Bay through the end of this summer. When the Packers decided they didn’t want McCord anymore, the Dolphins snagged him.
Miami traded previous backup Quinn Ewers to Jacksonville, so the moves suggested that McCord is the backup.
He doesn’t have NFL starting experience of any kind, though, so if he had to play, it’s not totally clear how it might go.
Dolphins QB Depth Chart
The Dolphins have Willis, McCord and then Brady Cook.
Cook would have a case as the backup, as well, since he actually started for the New York Jets in 2025. He was an undrafted free agent out of Missouri but was given a chance, and while he mostly struggled, sometimes experience can be the best teacher.
The Dolphins also picked up Cook after the preseason. The Jets cut him, and Miami swooped in.
That means both their potential backup QBs weren’t even a part of this system until a couple weeks ago. That adds to the uncertainty.
If Willis were to get hurt sooner rather than later, would one of the new guys simply have a better grasp of the offense than the other? It’s certainly fair if they both feel like they’re still a bit in the learning stages of things.
The Dolphins obviously don’t want Willis to get hurt, but they specifically sought out these two backups after the preseason rather than letting Ewers remain the QB2. They must like something they see in both McCord and Cook.
It would just be bad news to actually see McCord and Cook on the field. The Dolphins signed Willis to help them be surprisingly competent on offense, and while it didn’t happen in Week 1, there’s still plenty of time to get rolling.
Dolphins’ Malik Willis Injury Update Raises Backup QB Question