With the Miami Dolphins entering another rebuild, excitement does not appear high around the franchise. However, one potential source of excitement is that the team will have a new Week 1 starter for the first time since the 2020 NFL season.
After six years, the Miami Dolphins parted ways with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. They then replaced Tagovailoa with free agent Malik Willis, whom the team signed to a three-year, $67 million contract. While Willis has only started six games in his NFL career, he provides a dual-threat ability the Dolphins have not had in their franchise history.
Despite this, CBS Sports ranked Miami’s quarterback room as the sixth-worst in the NFL.
Miami Dolphins Ranked Among NFL’s Worst Quarterback Rooms
CBS Sports writer Garrett Podell ranked the 10 worst quarterback rooms entering the 2026 NFL season, and placed the Dolphins at the No. 6 position.
Regarding the Dolphins quarterback room which features Malik Willis, Quinn Ewers and Mark Gronkowski, Podell wrote:
“New coach Jeff Hafley, formerly the Packers’ defensive coordinator, and new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan, formerly the Packers’ vice president of player personnel, watched Willis develop from someone they acquired from the Tennessee Titans for a seventh-round pick in 2024 to someone worthy of getting the chance to start on his own team in 2025. Willis found his footing in the NFL after spending two years learning from Matt LaFleur and Jordan Love in Green Bay.
His sole start of 2025 came in Week 17 against the Baltimore Ravens, and he lit them up. Willis completed 18 of his 21 throws for 288 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 60 yards and two touchdowns. That made him the first quarterback ever with an 85% completion percentage, 13-plus yards per pass attempt and 60-plus rushing yards in a game with a minimum of 20 passes thrown, per CBS Sports Research.
Quinn Ewers, a 2025 seventh-round pick out of Texas, completed 66.3% of his passes for 622 yards, three passing touchdowns and three interceptions across four games and three starts. The front office gave Willis $45 million guaranteed after personally observing his development in Green Bay.”
Thoughts on Miami’s Ranking
Regarding Miami’s ranking on the list, FanSided’s Eric Frostbutter wrote for PhinPhanatic:
“The Dolphins gave Willis a hefty payday, but we still don’t know what kind of quarterback he can be as the full-time starter. His time in Tennessee was rough, but Willis bounced back with Green Bay while Jordan Love was out.
For Miami to be successful, though, and to potentially move up the rankings, Willis will have to prove it with his arm.”
While ranking as one of the worst quarterback rooms seems harsh, especially considering Ewers performed well as Miami’s backup in 2025, it is difficult to rank the Dolphins much higher because of Willis’ inexperience.
Willis possesses the rushing ability and arm talent to lead Miami’s offense, but he remains an uncertainty because of his limited starting experience. For what it’s worth, former Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who is now with the Atlanta Falcons, is part of the quarterback room ranked fifth-worst by CBS Sports.
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