Saturday Dolphins Mailbag: Backup QBs, Cap Space, and More

Part 1 of a post-Super Bowl weekend Miami Dolphins On SI mailbag:

From Mark Lever:

Who would you like to see be our backup quarterback next year?

Hey Mark, how about Patrick Mahomes? Oh, I’m supposed to stick to something that’s realistic? Got it. For me, it’s got to be a veteran with prior starting experience, and I’d be fine with any of the following: Andy Dalton, Jimmy Garoppolo, Marcus Mariota or Joe Flacco. I know the names aren’t overly exciting, they’re still an upgrade over 2024.

From Lloyd Heilbrunn:

So, Tua's backup won a Super Bowl! How did that ever happen? Great OL, great RB, great WRs, great defense led by great pass rush, and competent special teams. Created by excellent drafting and coaching. It's not rocket science, is it?

Hey Lloyd, it’s not rocket science, but you make it sound like it’s easy to accumulate quality depth just about everywhere on the roster. If it were that easy, every team would have the kind of depth the Eagles have.

From Jason Kirkland:

Hi Alain, if Miami goes into the season with Jones or Liam still as starters, would you consider the offseason a failure? Also, same question, if the backup QB is on the same level as last season's backups? Thank you!

Hey Jason, yeah, I think that’s a pretty fair statement. The Dolphins have several areas they need to address in the offseason, and the three you mentioned definitely need to be at or near the top.

From Olive Grove Jon:

Hi Alain, many people were surprised that CG and MM kept their jobs but the more I think about it I understand what Ross is doing here. If next season is a failure, the new GM and coach come into a better cap situation and likely more draft picks. Is there a method to the madness?

Hey OGJ, the other way to put it is that the Dolphins are in the middle of what was a three- or four-year project and Ross wants to give CG and MMcD the chance to see it through. Besides, why would anyone have thought Ross was going to blow it up right after handing out several extensions last summer?

From Chris…Grier fan account:

Should the Bills pay the $15/yr that James Cook is asking for?

Hmm, I think not because $15 million would make him the second-highest-paid running back in the league and he’s not there yet, even though he’s very good. The Bills also need to clear cap space, so they’re not necessarily in a position to hand out big contract and Cook’s cap number for 2025 currently is a very reasonable $5.6 million.

From Dinney Wilkinson:

It's easy to criticize Hill being a captain and "leader" on this team. What were Campbell, Armstead, Tagovailoa, Sieler, Ingold and Ramsey doing about players being late? How does that happen with all those leaders on the team? I'd love to see them asked what they did about it!

Hey Dinney, there’s only so much you can do as a teammate, let’s be real here. It’s up to the coaches and team officials to keep the players in check. Teammates can apply peer pressure as much as possible, but there’s only so much they can do if the player is not responsive.

From Adnas:

You think someone like Zach Wilson or Trey Lance are on the radar as a QB3?

Hey Adnas, if the Dolphins are going to have a developmental third QB on the roster in 2025, it probably should be a rookie draft pick rather than a reclamation project. But of the two you mentioned, Wilson is a lot more intriguing to me.

From Luis Rodriguez:

Hi Alain, another podcaster made the argument to cut Hill, Armstead and Chubb because it would create over $100 mil in cap space for 2026. Would you do that? Pain in 2025 for 2026 gain?

Hey Luis, I could envision a scenario where the Dolphins move on from Armstead and Chubb, and they would have $35 million as post-June 1 cuts (meaning they wouldn’t be able to use that space until then). Tyreek Hill, on the other hand, is not cuttable this year because his cap hit actually would go up even as a post-June 1 hit.

From Baldylocks:

Will Dolphins pick up Aaron Rodgers to back up Tua?

Why would the Dolphins want to do that? And why would Rodgers want to end his career as a backup? So, no, don’t see that happening. Not even remotely.

From Chris Wilson:

Hi Alain, with 2 of our road opponents in 2025 having home games in London. Could you see the NFL making us play as the home team in Spain followed by the away team in London the week after? Like guinea pigs in their travel experiment?

Hey Chris, you could even add the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have a game in Ireland and who the Dolphins will face on the road. The NFL already did this with the Jaguars, so I certainly wouldn’t rule it out as a possibility.

From Craig M:

Alain, Stephen Ross has made the decision to turn this offseason over to you (wisely or not). Without going into too much detail, can you outline your plan, whether it would be heavy on the draft or FA, & perhaps some casualties from the team. Are you taking a long-term approach?

Hey Craig, my answer would depend on my contract. If I have guarantees covering three or four years, say, I invest heavily in the draft. I think for the long-term good of the franchise, and as painful as it would be, Terron Armstead needs to be released as a post-June 1 cut because Patrick Paul needs to get into the lineup and the same goes for Bradley Chubb because his cap number is just too high. Oh, it would be a very wise decision by Stephen Ross. 

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