Our Miami Dolphins have now completed two of their three pre-season contests. Miami is 2 and 0 in those games despite some very up-and-down play from the team’s two backup quarterbacks, Skylar Thompson and Mike White. Starter Tua Tagovailoa looked like he was in mid-season form in his only drive of the pre-season. Still, with the questionable play of the backups, much of the fanbase feels less than confident in the team’s quarterback depth as the beginning of the 2024 season quickly approaches. With that in mind, I asked the following question a couple of days back:
What would you like to see the team/GM Chris Grier do about the current backup quarterback situation? Should he pick one of the two and go with him, and if so, which of the backups should he roll with, assuming the team only keeps two QBs on the roster? Would you instead like him to sign someone off the street or trade for another backup that might be available after training camp? If you want to add a different player to the roster via free agent signing or trade, who would you like to see Grier target?
Below are some of your answers and thoughts on the question of the day-
phinette makes the excellent point that if the Dolphins are looking to upgrade, they had better not be late to the party.
If we are looking for a different backup we need to be alert. We are not the only team out there in backup QB panic. Sean McVay has openly expressed his concern about Stetson Bennett, and there are several other teams dealing with injuries to their #2. Heinecke and Zach Wilson might be available. Just thinking out loud.
Thomas23059 makes the point that if Tua suffers any sort of serious injury, the season will be over anyway. I would argue that for a minor injury, a quality backup gives you a chance to not drop a game or two that the starter is out.
You go with the same plan every other team with a top QB goes with, hope he doesn’t get hurt. We saw what happened to the Bengals and Chargers when Burrow and Herbert got hurt. What do yo think is going to happen if Mahomes, Allen, Jackson, or Prescott misses most of the season? Their teams aren’t making the playoffs either, unless someone gets lucky and catches lightening in a bottle with a backup, like the 49ers did with Purdy.
I always go back to this story:
“Tom Moore also gave us one of the greatest football quotes ever. Asked why the Colts’ backup QBs never saw a single snap in practice during the Manning years, he explained: “If 18 goes down, we’re f—ed. Around here, we don’t practice f—ed.””
Tua goes down, well, Tom Moore said it. Liam Eichenberg goes down, Tua is taking snaps behind whoever his backup is. Roll with the backup QBs you have. Focus on other positions where an injury could be catastrophic, but doesn’t need to be.
twinssdfan says to keep both current backups, just in case.
IMO: keep Thompson and White. Tau goes down we’ll need them.
daytonadolfan says keep Thompson and find a vet to come in.
Keep Skyler as a #3 and bring in a veteran for #2, oh and give White a one-way ticket to anywhere!
sand_in_shoes wants to see the staff keep the better of the two backups on the roster, send the other to the practice squad, and then draft another guy in the next draft.
To me you pick Skylar/White – whichever the coaches decide. Put the other guy on the PS for now. Draft someone next year with the traits you’re looking for – accuracy, quick decision making, anticipation, whatever. Maybe with one of the compensatory picks. Groom him. Maybe he is not as elite as Tua. OK. Make it so the offense doesn’t change if Tua is out for more than a couple of games.
If the starter goes down, NeenerWhacker wants to see Mostert or Achane behind center.
The way I see the depth chart @qb:
1. Tua
2. Wildcat offense
3. White/Skylar
SlayerNation1 says just keep White because-
… an embarrassment of riches. Really, you could flip a coin on these two. I think White is more mobile, so I would say White, if I had to.
Neither have a quick enough processor and arm strength is largely irrelevant to this scheme. They both lock telegraph the throw.
I have no recommendation of an outside replacement for the same main reason, processor speed.
Somewhere out there, is an unknown, undrafted JUCO/D3 QB with the right brain and accuracy.
Other than the home game vs NE, I can’t see MW/ST winning a game as a starter.
Misery loves company for any contender insofar, if QB1 misses a quantity of games, they are screwed.
finfanfromsiam says to keep Skylar and send White packing.
Stick with Skylar, too late to find someone to get up to speed with our system. MFW needs to go!!!
ericfos wants to drag an ex-Dolphin off his couch.
Josh Rosen! Why not, it couldn’t be much worse than how it looks currently. Right?
There is, as usual, no consensus, but the overall feeling I get is that no one is all that comfortable with what we have. It’s also rather late in the process to bring someone else in to get them up to speed with Miami’s offense. Thank you again to everyone who took the time to answer our question of the day. Please join us again tomorrow evening for our live thread to follow our Miami Dolphins in their final preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
