Disagree. It’s about protecting your best quarterback in three meaningless games. If Tua would play and suffer another concussion, then McDaniel would certainly lose his job.
Well, maybe. It seems like there’s a good chance that Miami has already decided to move on from Tua anyway, and I’m not sure where they’d find a trade partner for him, given his massive contract, his worsening play over the past couple of years, and his history of concussions.
But, I agree that there’s no compelling reason to send Tua out there, when (a) he’s not been playing well, (b) there are legitimate concerns over yet another head injury, and (c) additional wins are meaningless now.
I do think that tanking isn’t likely here: the Dolphins are 6-8, and there are nine teams with records that are at least two games worse than them. It seems unlikely that they could tank sufficiently to lose their way into a top-five pick.
And Brock Purdy, who is the current franchise QB for the 49ers, was picked in the 7th round, as the 262nd and final overall pick of the draft.
The idea that a 7th round QB can’t be the potential future of the franchise ignores history. Is it unlikely? Extremely unlikely. But it has happened, and could happen again.
Heck, even figuring out if he’s decent enough to keep around as a backup is reason to give him some playing time if the postseason is no longer an option.
Exactly. Or maybe he shows some flashes and you can trade him to another team for some draft capital, like the Patriots did last year with Joe Milton (not that they got a lot of return, but it wasn’t nothing).
Neither Tom Brady nor Brock Purdy were started their first year “to find out what they got”. They both were backup/projects who were 4th or 3rd string on their teams their first year. They only became starters after injuries, with Brady taking over in his second year after Bledsoe’s onjury and Purdy after both Trey Lance and Jimmy Garappolo were injured.
Which seems like a missed opportunity in retrospect.
But at least you’ve conceded everyone’s point that a late round QB absolute can be the potential future of a franchise.
Can they? Sure. But two late-round QBs in the last 25 years being successful isn’t exactly a good argument that there’s a lot of untapped potential, and teams should be trying them out as starters when they have other options.
If you’re Miami, what do you have to lose by trying him out? Maybe he’s better than expected, and can be trade bait. Maybe he’s great, and can be your starter. Your season is over, might has well see what happens.
Bradt and Purdy
They were just two examples. See Kurt Warner for another case. Hint: undrafted.
Their other QB, Zach Wilson, was picked #2 overall in the 2021 draft. He was the Jets starter for three forgettable years. He’s proven that he will probably never lead them to the Promised Land, so give the kid a chance.
Oh, three QBs in 30 years? Well, I’m convinced!
Yes, there’s little risk in playing Tua, assuming you aren’t trying to win games.
There have been just under 300 QBs drafted since 2000.
Anyone want to bet me on Quinn Ewers’ potential to become an average starting NFL QB for the next 5+ years?
Well, I said,
So you already have my answer.
You want more?
- Tony Romo was undrafted
- Matt Hasselback was drafted in the 6th round
- Warren Moon was undrafted (though I admit most of his career was more than 30 years ago)
- Brad Johnson was drafted in the 9th round (pick 227)
I admit late round picks rarely make an impact on the NFL in their first season, if coaches thought they had the skills to play in the NFL day one they would be drafted early, but it can happen even if it isn’t quite as late as the 7th round.
Dak Prescott was selected in the 4th round due to injuries to (above mentioned) Tony Romo and Kellen Moore and the Cowboys failing to reach agreement to sign Josh McCown Prescott found himself the starter for week 1. By week 10 when Romo was fit again Prescott had earned the starter spot finishing the season 13-3.
While Ewers was drafted in 7th round, Prescott was NFL ready 5 months after the decision was made to draft him. Miami are looking at his progess to see if he is progressing to be a potential starter 17 months after they drafted him. “Having a look” doesn’t even mean they are considering him as an option for starter, it could mean they are looking to see if they are comfortable having him as the back-up next season (as opposed to 3rd string)
Agreed. There is a time to give such QBs a shot, and it’s called preseason.
Think of the next few Miami games as 2026 preseason games
Tell that to the people buying the tickets.
Or to the players and coaches playing for contracts. Or to the Panthers or Lions or any team in the playoff hunt whose chances will be hurt by a team not trying to win.
There are already a number of quarterbacks starting in place of the #1 starter, due to injuries (Kyler Murray) or saving the #1 from getting hurt (Jayden Daniels). All of these QBs are auditioning for next year. They are not tanking; they’re trying to prove they belong. And that means playing to win. (Except maybe for the Browns, who ran a a really strange play for a tying 2-point conversion a couple of weeks ago.)
The Cardinals aren’t starting Kendon Slovis “to see what he has”. The Commanders aren’t starting Sam Hartman “to see what he has”. They’re starting the QB who likely gives them the best chance to win, despite having young QBs on their roster.
Now, if they were tanking, they’d bypass Brissett and Mariota and start their young guys. That may be the smart thing to do in the long run.