Though it should be treated as speculation and his opinion, not an official report, ESPN’s Adam Schefter thinks the Miami Dolphins should consider all options at quarterback to salvage their season. Appearing on the Pat McAfee Show Monday afternoon, Schefter listed Pittsburgh Steelers QB Russell Wilson as one name the Dolphins should call about.
“I would call Pittsburgh and I would say, ‘What would you want for Russell Wilson?'” Schefter told the show.
To date, there have been no reports of Miami going quarterback shopping, and to be clear, Schefter isn’t framing this as a report. It’s his opinion. The Dolphins are still reeling and figuring out next steps after losing QB Tua Tagovailoa to another concussion, sending him to injured reserve. He’ll miss at least the next three weeks. In their first game without him Sunday, the Dolphins’ offense was a mess in a 24-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, and they lost new starter Skylar Thompson due to a chest injury. That forced the team to turn to third-stringer and veteran journeyman Tim Boyle.
Now 1-2, the Dolphins’ season could be wrapping up before Tagovailoa is eligible to return. And it remains to be seen if he’d be immediately cleared, with valid questions over his well-being and future. Given his concussion history, the Dolphins will be in zero rush to bring him back even as their offense struggles.
Instead, they could look for external help. And at face value, Wilson makes sense. With Justin Fields seemingly entrenched as the Steelers’ starter, Wilson won’t play unless Fields struggles for multiple games or gets hurt. On a one-year deal for the minimum, he’d be a cheap acquisition financially. And Wilson, who expected to start the year before hurting his calf, is looking to rebuild his value to set up a payday in 2025. Sitting on the bench this season won’t do that. In fact, the NFL could view him as a mentor and backup if his role doesn’t change this season. Point is, he has plenty of reasons to start games this year.
“Because they have to save their season here and it doesn’t look like they can now,” Schefter said of Miami. “Maybe Tyler Huntley can step in in relief here and stop the bleeding and get things back in order.”
Huntley is arguably the team’s best internal option, signed off the Baltimore Ravens practice squad one week ago. He has to get up to speed with the Dolphins’ playbook, but he’s competently filled in for Lamar Jackson in the past and is a far better option than Boyle.
Beyond Russell Wilson, Schefter believed the Dolphins should also call the Denver Broncos about Zach Wilson and the Cleveland Browns about Dorian Thompson-Robinson.
The issues with trading for Wilson are multi-fold. One, he reportedly has a no-trade clause, allowing him to dictate where he does (and doesn’t) get traded to. Two, if Tagovailoa returns later this year, Wilson would again go back to the bench. Three, the Steelers have incentive to keep Wilson as a trusted backup to Fields. The last time Pittsburgh traded a quarterback, Josh Dobbs, starter Ben Roethlisberger was lost for the season six days later. It’s not like Wilson is likely to fetch a high draft pick, either.
But with Wilson likely becoming the team’s healthy No. 2 quarterback, trade rumors will persist. It’ll be the new quarterback conversation in Pittsburgh, no longer about if Wilson should be the starter, but if Wilson should be a Steeler.
