After the Miami Dolphins released quarterback Tua Tagovailoa this offseason, they quickly pursued and signed free agent quarterback Malik Willis to a three-year, $67 million contract.
Willis impressed in limited playing time with the Green Bay Packers, where he worked with current Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley and general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan. Unfortunately, through Willis’ five games, he has not been able to carry over his success with Green Bay to Miami.
In five games, Willis has thrown more interceptions than touchdowns and has led Miami to the second-worst passing offense in the NFL. While Willis entered the season as the team’s unquestioned starter, his performances have led people to suggest he get benched.
Perhaps that is a reason why the Dolphins have been seen as a potential landing spot for a quarterback that might be available at the trade deadline.
Miami Dolphins a Potential Landing Spot for Veteran Quarterback
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox included the Miami Dolphins as a potential landing spot for Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph.
Knox wrote of Rudolph: “Mason Rudolph remains the most logical trade target for teams seeking a backup quarterback or spot starter midseason. He’s one of three reserve QBs that the Pittsburgh Steelers have behind Aaron Rodgers, along with Will Howard and rookie Drew Allar.
Jason La Canfora of Casino.org reported at the start of the season that Pittsburgh probably would have traded Rudolph then, had there been a viable market for him.
Of course, the Steelers are unlikely to find a strong market for Rudolph now, especially after the Atlanta Falcons added Andy Dalton for insurance. Quarterbacks like Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and Baker Mayfield have already returned or are close to returning from injury.
Rudolph, who has made 20 career starts (including playoffs), will be most valuable if and when another team loses its starter for an extended period. That said, there are a few franchises that should view him as an upgrade over their current depth.”
Rudolph has appeared in 36 regular season games and started 19 during his seven-year NFL career. He has a 9-9-1 record and 4,925 passing yards, 30 touchdowns and 22 interceptions. Rudolph has totaled over $20 million in career earnings, according to Spotrac.
Miami Dolphins’ Current Quarterback Room
Knox mentioned that Rudolph might make sense for a team that suffers an injury at the quarterback position. Aside from struggling, Miami Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis is also currently dealing with a pair of injuries. He suffered a toe injury in Week 2 and is now dealing with a thumb injury ahead of Week 7’s matchup against the New York Jets.
Regarding Willis’ development and progress during his first season with the Dolphins, quarterbacks coach Busch Hamdan said, “It’s a development. Just being real with you, the confidence I have in him is still through the roof. He has shown flashes of having that elite stuff. Just has got to [master] the consistency part of it. On third downs, he’s put us in a lot of good positions. [Defenses] have to make sure there’s an extra player for him if he decides to run. We want to keep building on that.”
Dolphins Speculated to Acquire $20 Million Quarterback Ahead of Trade Deadline