Tua Tagovailoa will continue to start for the Miami Dolphins in the 2025 NFL season, but leading a different quarterback room. This year, Mike McDaniel and the front office made an intriguing addition to the roster by signing former second overall pick Zach Wilson.
And while the former New York Jets and Denver Broncos quarterback will initially back up Tagovailoa, his presence will inevitably force Tua to play at a high level. After all, many believe that Wilson still has untapped potential.
However, this wouldn’t be it. The 2025 NFL Draft could see McDaniel and the Dolphins put even more pressure on Tagovailoa, in the event Miami uses one of its picks to sign a rookie quarterback.
In a recent mock draft published on NFL.com, Chad Reuter predicted the Dolphins to select Oregon product Dillon Gabriel with the 135th pick in the fourth round. Needless to say, such a move would raise question marks around Tagovailoa’s long-term future in Miami.
Quarterback Dillon Gabriel #8 of the Oregon Ducks prepares for a play during the second half of the game against the Maryland Terrapins at Autzen Stadium on November 9, 2024 in Eugene, Oregon.
Dolphins don’t rule out selecting a QB in 2025 NFL Draft
Gabriel is coming off a great season in college football, having completed 326 of 447 passes for 3,857 yards with 30 touchdowns and six interceptions in his lone season with the Ducks in 2024. Before transferring to Oregon, he played for UCF and Oklahoma.
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While it’s uncertain whether the Dolphins intend to bring him in this year, general manager Chris Grier did warn Tagovailoa that Miami could end up drafting a quarterback in 2025, even if it’s not in the first round.
“I would say we have our starting quarterback. I wouldn’t rule anything out but we’re not looking to take a quarterback in the first round,” Grier said last week, via Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN.
The Dolphins will have 10 picks in the 2025 NFL Draft. While chances are that they won’t use their first-round selection at No. 13 on a signal-caller, the team could take a quarterback later.
Tagovailoa got paid but Dolphins missed him in 2024
Miami made a big commitment to Tagovailoa in 2024 by handing Tua a four-year, $212.4 million deal with $167.1 million guaranteed. His first season after the contract extension didn’t go to plan though.
After missing four games due to another concussion in his career, a hip injury saw Tagovailoa watch the final two games of the regular season from the sidelines. Miami ended up missing the playoffs, as neither of the alternative QBs on the roster managed to right the ship in Tua’s absence.
McDaniel hopes Wilson will fix last year’s mistake with Skylar Thompson, who left a lot to be desired as Tagovailoa’s backup in 2024, forcing the team to sign free agent Tyler Huntley midway through the season.
Will Wilson threat Tagovailoa’s job?
Wilson doesn’t arrive in Miami with a great reputation, holding a 12-21 record as a starter in the NFL. But to be fair, it wasn’t like the New York Jets put him in a position to succeed.
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At 25, and after spending last season behind Bo Nix and Jarrett Stidham in Denver, this could be the opportunity Wilson needs to revitalize his career. Tua, therefore, has to make sure not to let his backups see the field. Otherwise, his job in Miami could be in jeopardy.
