The Miami Dolphins were optimistic that backup QB Tyler Huntley would show improvement between his first and second starts for the team. While his statistics and a close road win over the struggling New England Patriots suggest limited advancement, Huntley has not progressed enough within the offense to fully reassure Dolphins fans who had high hopes for a Super Bowl run just a month ago.
Miami entered its bye week after narrowly winning 15-10 in Foxborough, giving Huntley additional time to acclimate to the offensive scheme and leverage the considerable speed of his teammates. This break also allows Tua Tagovailoa an extra week to recover from the third confirmed concussion of his NFL career, which he sustained in Week 2 against the Buffalo Bills.
Overall, things are improving for the Dolphins compared to just a few games ago, especially after a blowout home loss to the Tennessee Titans and their backup quarterback Mason Rudolph. However, circumstances in South Florida remain quite poor compared to the peak of the Mike McDaniel offense about a year ago, when expectations were much higher.
With the NFL trade deadline approaching on November 5, the Dolphins have about four weeks to address Tagovailoa’s health and potentially seek a more competent backup quarterback than Huntley. This is important in case Tagovailoa faces setbacks during his recovery or experiences a new injury upon his uncertain return. On October 8, Cody Benjamin from CBS Sports suggested that Miami consider trading for backup QB Trey Lance of the Dallas Cowboys, a former No. 3 pick in the 2021 draft.
Tua Tagovailoa’s potential return brings hope, but trusting his durability feels risky. Coach Mike McDaniel was in San Francisco when the dynamic but unrefined Trey Lance was drafted. Unfortunately, Lance didn’t thrive in the Bay Area, mostly sitting behind Jimmy Garoppolo and then suffering a broken ankle in his second year after just two starts. Garoppolo eventually got injured, leading to Brock Purdy taking over and leading the team to two consecutive NFC Championship Games and a Super Bowl appearance.
Lance eventually moved to Dallas for a fourth-round pick. At just 24 years old and playing on the last year of his ** 34millionrookiecontract∗∗,hisbasesalaryisonlyalittleover∗∗ 1 million** this season, making him financially appealing. The trade cost should be close to the fourth-rounder the Cowboys initially spent, and possibly even less.
While acquiring Lance might not be a guaranteed success for Miami, it would provide a chance to bring in a young quarterback with the traits that led to him being a top-3 draft pick, chosen by a team that has a solid track record in identifying talent. So far, Lance has 797 passing yards, 5 TDs, 3 INTs, and 235 rushing yards with 1 TD, averaging 4.4 yards per carry. It could be an opportunity worth exploring
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