MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — With nothing material left to play for this season, the Miami Dolphins will see what they’ve got in Quinn Ewers.

The seventh-round rookie will start at quarterback in place of Tua Tagovailoa, who has possibly played his final game for the franchise that handed him a $212.1 million contract in 2024 — although Miami traveling along that path would be unprecedented in terms of its cost.

A complicated upcoming offseason for the Dolphins adds another wrinkle to news of Tua’s benching.

So, what does this mean for the Dolphins, Ewers, and coach Mike McDaniel’s future? Dolphins reporter Marcel Louis-Jacques, ESPN senior writers Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano, and draft analyst Matt Miller answer the most pressing questions.

Why now?

Because, flatly, he’s been one of the most ineffective quarterbacks in football over the past month and a half — despite the Dolphins winning five of their past seven games. Since Week 10, he ranks 30th in QBR and 24th in passing yards. While his play didn’t necessarily hurt the Dolphins during their four-game win streak entering Week 15, his performance against the Steelers was enough to influence McDaniel’s decision.

Through three quarters against Pittsburgh, Tagovailoa completed 6 of 10 passes for 65 yards and an interception that even McDaniel couldn’t defend.

“I think the Steelers had a good plan and early they knew where we were trying to attack,” McDaniel said of the play. “I think Tua lost sight of [the cornerback], which is a big deal. He didn’t see the hanging corner. He threw it to him out of the break. It’s not the ideal play, and matters were made worse by the throw to the opponent.”

Tagovailoa leads the NFL with a career-high 15 interceptions this season, and turning the ball over is one of McDaniel’s pet peeves. Combine that with the Dolphins’ mathematical elimination from playoff contention, and it made sense for the team to turn to the rookie — who’s been quietly impressing behind the scenes. — Louis-Jacques

What does this mean for Tua’s future with the team?

The benching means he’s, at best, a bridge quarterback for Miami next year and, at worst, a free agent looking to be a bridge for someone else.

Teams I’ve talked to in the aftermath of this consider Tagovailoa’s $54 million in guarantees immovable via trade unless the Dolphins cover a significant portion of the contract, and even that doesn’t guarantee him a market. The play was simply not good this year, and scouts saw a regressing player who was not as light on his feet as he was two years ago. Couple that issue with his concussion history and Tagovailoa could be a hard sell for a team evaluating him as a starter in 2026.

But the Dolphins are only as good as their options. If Ewers performs over these final three games, he will serve as both a starting option next year and a sunk cost for Miami because of his rookie contract. Miami and Tagovailoa could sell a reconciliation, assuming the quarterback rededicates himself to the job and Miami accepts that it’s stuck with him. But we saw this script with Russell Wilson — when a team’s done with a high-priced, underperforming veteran QB, keeping him around doesn’t make much sense. Miami appears poised to start over with a draft pick or a veteran quarterback signed or traded from elsewhere. — Fowler

Considering his contract, how difficult would it be for the Dolphins to move on from him?

Tagovailoa has $54 million in fully guaranteed compensation in 2026. That breaks down as a $39 million salary and a $15 million option bonus that needs to be exercised between the first and third days of the 2026 league year in March. Additionally, on the third day of the 2026 league year, $3 million of his $31 million 2027 salary becomes fully guaranteed. So if he’s on Miami’s roster as of 4 p.m. ET on March 13, the Dolphins will be on the hook for $57 million guaranteed.

If they were to release him prior to that date, they’d still have to pay him the $54 million in 2026 cash and would absorb $99.2 million in dead salary cap charges. (They could spread that out over two years if they designated him a post-June 1 release, but they’d still take $67.4 million in dead money charges on their 2026 cap and the remaining $31.8 million in 2027.) If they were to find a way to trade Tagovailoa before March 13, the acquiring team would become responsible for the $54 million in 2026 salary and bonuses, and the Dolphins’ dead-money charge would drop to $45.2 million. If they traded him after March 13, presumably they’d be on the hook for the $15 million option bonus, while the new team would take the $39 million salary; the Dolphins’ dead-money charge would be $60.2 million.

None of this is even close to ideal, obviously, as it would leave Miami in a terrible cap situation and also without a quarterback. The Broncos took $80 million in dead-money charges (spread over two years) when they released Wilson in 2024, and they managed to make the playoffs last season and currently hold the 1-seed in the AFC playoff field for this season. So huge dead-money charges don’t necessarily kill a team’s chances. But one of the reasons it has worked for Denver is it found a first-round QB in Bo Nix who could play right away. — Graziano

McDaniel was tasked with maximizing Tua’s potential. What does this suggest about McDaniel’s future with the team?

He did. Tagovailoa was markedly improved in 2022 and led the NFL in passing yards the following season. But his durability concerns spilled over into his decision-making to a point where Tagovailoa appears hesitant to take risks with his body — which is understandable considering his concussion history.

McDaniel did not draft Tagovailoa, but he advocated for his extension with then-general manager Chris Grier, who was fired midseason. It would be interesting to see him develop another franchise quarterback. The results from his time with Teddy Bridgewater, Skylar Thompson and Tyler Huntley were mixed-to-underwhelming, but he gets another chance with Ewers for the next three weeks. — Louis-Jacques

What does Ewers’ predraft scouting report tell us about what we should expect from him?

Ewers was a three-year starter at Texas, and he threw 68 touchdown passes and 24 interceptions over his 37 career games. He was accurate when able to play from a clean pocket, and the touch and timing that he showed in Texas coach Steve Sarkisian’s offense will be perfect for what the Dolphins want to do with underneath and crossing routes designed to get wide receivers in space.

Ewers got into trouble when he had to move in the pocket to make plays or when dropping underneath coverage confused him after the snap. But when he gets into the right read pre-snap, he can carve up a defense — and that’s what the Dolphins will look to do to get him early success. — Miller

What do the Dolphins see in Ewers relative to the other backup, Zach Wilson?

The Dolphins know what Wilson is and didn’t bring him in to replace a healthy Tagovailoa. But Ewers was drafted as a developmental player who now has an opportunity to play valuable developmental reps.

With three weeks remaining in the season, there’s almost a win-win scenario approaching for Miami. If Ewers performs well, the Dolphins may have found a potential future starter. If he doesn’t and the team loses its next three games, it strengthens Miami’s draft position. — Louis-Jacques

What will the reaction be in the locker room?

Locker rooms typically know when it’s time for a change to be made. If Ewers puts the necessary work in, he could infuse some life into a Dolphins passing game that has lacked it over the past month.

Tagovailoa is a team captain but drew criticism from both inside and outside the locker room for his comments earlier in the season about his teammates’ attendance at player-led meetings. He has since apologized for his comments but was seen laughing with Steelers’ cornerback Jalen Ramsey minutes after the loss Monday night. It’s not clear whether that moment struck a nerve with Miami’s locker room, but it was a poor look after another disappointing performance. — Louis-Jacques

Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes has hit the headlines recently and is now on the radar of Bayern Munich, while Liverpool are looking at Gremio winger Gabriel Mec. Join us for the latest transfer news and rumors from around the globe.

Transfers home page | Men’s summer grades | Women’s grades

TOP STORIES

– Sources: Neymar in talks to stay at Santos until World Cup
– Sources: Barcelona follow Villa defender Pau Torres
– PSG ordered to pay $70m to Mbappé in unpaid wages

TRENDING RUMORS

– Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes is on the radar of Bayern Munich. TalkSPORT reports that the Bundesliga side are big admirers of the 31-year-old, while there is a feeling in the United dressing room that he could be playing his last season at the club. Fernandes previously turned down a £100 million move to Al Hilal and recently said he was “hurt” by United’s readiness to offload him during the summer, but he has been one of the standout stars for his side in the campaign with five goals and seven assists in 16 Premier League matches.

– Liverpool are looking at Gremio winger Gabriel Mec, according to Nicolo Schira. The 17-year-old, who has previously been compared in style to Real Madrid‘s Vinícius Júnior, currently represents Brazil at youth international level, and is known for his ability to play on both flanks. He was on the radar of Shakhtar Donetsk in the summer, while Chelsea were also linked with interest in him last season. Mec played in seven of eight games for Brazil at the U17 World Cup in November.

– Barcelona have made an enquiry regarding Internazionale center back Alessandro Bastoni, according to Matteo Moretto. It is reported that Barca’s sporting director Deco recently travelled to Milan to discuss a potential move for the 26-year old, with the Blaugrana keen to sign the Italy defender due to uncertainty over the situation of Ronald Araújo, who is currently taking a mental health break. A January deal is expected to be difficult to secure, but the LaLiga side are exploring alternatives, with Aston Villa defender Pau Torres also on their shortlist, according to ESPN sources.

– Arsenal are keeping tabs on the situation of Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo, reports TalkSPORT. The Gunners, while reportedly not at the front of the queue for the 25-year-old’s signature given the presence of Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham, have shortlisted him as a potential option in January. But they will only push forward with an approach if they part ways with either Gabriel Martinelli or Leandro Trossard. Semenyo is able to be signed for a fee of £65 million in the next transfer window due to a release clause in his contract.

– The Chicago Fire have held talks with Barcelona’s 39-year-old striker Robert Lewandowski over a move to MLS, says the BBC. Lewandowski is out of contract in the summer and has shown a desire to play in America before he retires. Meanwhile, the San Jose Earthquakes are interested in RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner, according to Florian Plettenberg, and are alongside Inter Miami in the race to sign the 29-year-old. Werner has played just two minutes across two Bundesliga substitute appearances so far this season after returning to Germany‘s top flight following a spell with Tottenham Hotspur.

EXPERT TAKE

ESPN’s Mark Ogden on the comments made by Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes this week.

Fernandes’ comments bear similarities to [Liverpool’s Mohamed] Salah’s earlier this month in which he claimed to have been “thrown under the bus” by the club and that he had “earned the right” to play, despite being dropped by manager Arne Slot.

Neither Salah nor Fernandes considered the bigger picture when speaking of their own situation. Salah had been dropped because his form had deteriorated to the point that Slot had to take him out of the team. United were ready to offload Fernandes because the team — for which he has long been a central figure — had just recorded its worst Premier League finish, and parting with the captain offered a quick fix to their financial problems.

Fernandes is United’s best player and continues to perform at the highest level for the team — a point highlighted by his stunning free-kick goal in Monday’s 4-4 Premier League draw against Bournemouth. But the 31-year-old might need a history lesson when it comes to the ability of clubs to move on, and often prosper, when they part company with their biggest stars.

At United alone, much more significant and successful players than Fernandes, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Roy Keane, David Beckham, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Eric Cantona have left the club and been succeeded by replacements who have helped deliver Premier League and Champions League titles.

OTHER RUMORS

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Will Salah’s Liverpool situation impact his performances for Egypt?

Ed Dove wonders if a fresh Mohamed Salah will give Egypt their best shot at AFCON glory in recent years.

– Manchester United and Manchester City are set to battle to sign Trabzonspor and Ivory Coast international midfielder Christ Inao Oulai, 19. (TEAMtalk)

– Man United midfielder Casemiro could leave in the summer as part of a midfield overhaul. (Sun)

– Man United could offload striker Joshua Zirkzee to Roma. (Daily Mail)

– But Everton striker Beto is also on the radar of Roma as the Serie A club look to sign a forward in January. (Fabrizio Romano)

– Arsenal have scouted AC Milan full back Davide Bartesaghi, 19. (Calciomercato)

– Bayern Munich are yet to make a decision on whether to sign on-loan Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson permanently. (Bild)

– Juventus are preparing to offer winger Kenan Yildiz a new five-year contract. (Nicolo Schira)

– Inter Miami striker Luis Suarez is closing in on signing a one-season extension with . (Miami Herald)

– Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen is prioritizing staying at the club. (Sport)

– An enquiry for Fiorentina striker Edin Dzeko has been made by Genoa. (Nicolo Schira)

– Brighton are interested in Wolves left back David Moller Wolfe. (Football Insider)

– RB Leipzig and Roma are considering a move for Chelsea winger Tyrique George. (Caught Offside)

– AC Milan are lining up a move to sign West Ham striker Niclas Fullkrug on loan. (Guardian)

– And move for AC Milan striker Santiago Gimenez is being considered by West Ham, as the Mexico international could leave the Serie A club next month, having failed to score a league goal in nine appearances this season. (Football Insider)

– Sevilla are among the teams interested in full-back Max Aarons, who is currently on loan at Rangers from Bournemouth. (Ekrem Konur)

– Juventus are looking at Marseille midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg. (Gazzetta dello Sport)

– An offer to sign Juventus goalkeeper Mattia Perin is being prepared by Genoa. (Nicolo Schira)

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel opened the door to a possible quarterback change Tuesday, saying “everything’s on the table,” after Tua Tagovailoa‘s performance in Monday night’s loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Dolphins (6-8) were eliminated from playoff contention Monday with the 28-15 loss at Pittsburgh, in which Tagovailoa completed just 6 of 10 passes for 65 yards and an interception through three quarters.

When asked after the game whether he was considering a quarterback change, McDaniel said he didn’t want to make a “rash” or “shortsighted” decision. His tone changed Tuesday.

“I think the quarterback play last night was not good enough, and so for me, everything’s on the table,” he said.

Tagovailoa finished 22-of-28 for 253 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception. Both touchdowns came in the fourth quarter with the Dolphins trailing 28-3. Entering Monday’s game, he hadn’t thrown for more than 173 yards since Week 9.

McDaniel admitted the Dolphins’ passing offense, which ranks 31st in the league since Week 10, hasn’t been good enough and “hurt us” in the loss.

Tagovailoa on Monday took responsibility for his play, and for what he called a lack of preparation.

“For one, I got to play better. I got to be better for our guys offensively,” he said. “Two, I’m pretty disappointed with how ready I got our receivers, in terms of operation, in terms of guys knowing where to line up, and communication when it comes to personnel.

“That’s something I harp to guys when we’re in our own player-led meetings, and I felt like I let our guys down in that aspect.”

McDaniel said he would make a decision about the team’s starting quarterback Wednesday. He has two options to choose from should he decide to bench Tagovailoa.

Miami signed former No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson this offseason, but he hasn’t started a game since 2023. The Dolphins also drafted former Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers in the seventh round of this year’s draft. Ewers briefly served as the team’s backup quarterback for its Week 7 loss to the Cleveland Browns and briefly entered the game but has otherwise served as the Dolphins’ emergency quarterback this season.

Tagovailoa signed a four-year, $212.1 million extension in 2024 after he led the NFL in passing yards in 2023. However, he missed a career-high six games last season and while he has been durable in 2025, he leads the league in interceptions with a career-high 15 in 14 games.

The Dolphins host the Cincinnati Bengals (4-10) on Sunday.

Week 16 gets underway with a huge matchup between NFC West rivals, as the Seattle Seahawks host the Los Angeles Rams on “Thursday Night Football.”

And we get another pair of rivalry games Saturday, with the Philadelphia Eagles visiting the Washington Commanders and the Chicago Bears hosting the Green Bay Packers.

Sunday’s slate features a big NFC South matchup between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers in the early window of games. In the late window, the Jacksonville Jaguars visit the Denver Broncos and the Detroit Lions host the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The New England Patriots hit the road to take on the Baltimore Ravens to close out Sunday’s action, and the San Francisco 49ers face off against the Indianapolis Colts on “Monday Night Football.”

Matt Bowen, Pamela Maldonado, Ben Solak and Seth Walder looked at the early Week 16 odds and identified which ones are worth jumping on now before potential shifts later in the week.

Note: Odds by DraftKings Sportsbook and subject to change.

Bowen: Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence lit up the Jets in Week 15, throwing for 330 yards and five scores. But this Broncos defense is different. The pass rush. Sticky in coverage. Pressure schemes. Denver’s defense dictates the outcome of games. Give me the Broncos to cover at home.

Last week: Lions +6 at Rams (Rams won, 41-34)

Solak: The Ravens finally had a normal(ish) day on offense — but only 17 offensive points against the Bengals’ defense isn’t much to write home about. The loss of linebacker Teddye Buchanan is a sneaky big one, as the Ravens are wanting badly for LB depth. The Patriots’ loss to the Bills came with a few high-leverage second-half plays, but the Patriots still control their own destiny in the division by winning out. I make this closer to a pick ’em.

Last week: Patriots ML vs. Bills (Bills won, 35-31), Packers -2.5 at Broncos (Broncos won, 34-26)

Maldonado: Both teams want the same game script: Run the ball, shorten the game, avoid mistakes. Indy bleeds clock through Jonathan Taylor because of limited passing upside, especially if the offense stays conservative. The 49ers score efficiently but not quickly, comfortably grinding out drives. Sustained possessions, fewer chunk plays and red zone field goals point to pace killing this total.

Last week: Lions-Rams OVER 55 (Rams won, 41-34)

Walder: We’re buying the dip here following the Patriots’ loss to Buffalo, but the case for Maye remains strong. He ranks third in QBR, first in EPA per dropback and, in comparison to the other contenders, he receives less support from teammates. The Patriots rank 21st in pass block win rate, 25th in EPA per designed carry, and his top receiver is Stefon Diggs (who has been quiet for three straight weeks), without much strength behind him. Plus, New England relies on Maye a ton: The team ranks third in pass rate over expectation, higher than all the other MVP contenders’ teams. Yes, the No. 1 seed is a long shot at this point, but the Patriots currently have a 53% chance to finish in one of the top two seeds. While I’m at it, I might be tempted to sprinkle a little on Jordan Love at 75-1, too.

Last week: Cowboys -6 vs. Vikings (Vikings won, 34-26)