Analyzing Dolphins' Top 5 Quarterback Trade Options

The Miami Dolphins might have to trade for a quarterback this offseason.

The free agent market has one prize with Malik Willis, and the NFL draft has one with Fernando Mendoza. Miami can’t get the latter and will have plenty of competition for the former.

If the team doesn’t want to waste reps on a veteran free agent, then hitting the trade market is the next best option. Surprisingly, there are several viable options with legitimate upside.

We’re narrowing that list to the five that make the most sense for the Dolphins.

Will Levis, Tennessee Titans

Remember Will Levis? He didn’t play last season after suffering a shoulder injury and getting replaced by Cam Ward. Before that, he had an inconsistent 2024 season.

Levis’ play was highlighted by some impressive throws down the field, tough running, and also some of the worst turnovers you could imagine. You never knew what you’d get on any given play, but there was never doubt that Levis had the tools necessary to be a starter at the NFL level.

The former Kentucky product ranked fifth in air yards per attempt at 9.3 in 2024. Say what you want about Levis, but he was willing to let the ball fly. That’s the type of QB that’s worth betting on in a season when there’s no obvious way to get a top passer.

The Titans don’t need Levis, and they might actually want a veteran to help tutor Ward behind the scenes. There’s a good chance Levis would only go for a Day 3 pick, which is fine enough value for Miami.

Levis is flawed, but there are traits worth developing.

Spencer Rattler, New Orleans Saints

Despite never being given the franchise QB label, Rattler has made 14 starts across two seasons for the Saints. He was replaced by Tyler Shough last year, but his tape before that wasn’t bad.

He doesn’t have elite arm talent or mobility, but he’s more than good enough to make tight-window throws and move around the pocket to buy extra time. Rattler also took a noticeable step forward in how quickly he processed defenses last season.

New Orleans didn’t have much support around him, but he had a positive EPA per dropback in five of his eight starts. He also improved in just about every category. His yards per attempt, completion percentage, and sacks taken all went in the right direction.

The argument for the Saints to let him go is roughly the same as the Titans trading Levis. Shough is the future, and the team could just bring in a veteran to serve as another coach while adding a pick to build out the roster.

Rattler is rough around the edges, but he’s put more quality tape out there than a lot of people want to admit.

Tyson Bagent, Chicago Bears

This is a name that hasn’t been floated much, but it’s worthwhile for the Dolphins to at least give Chicago a call.

He spent the last two seasons backing up Caleb Williams, but his small sample size of starts from the 2023 season reveals an interesting profile. In four starts, he had two with a positive EPA per dropback, while completing 65.7% of his passes and only taking five sacks.

He’s clearly got a good enough arm to play at the NFL level, and he can move a little bit, too. The problem with Bagent is turnovers. He threw six interceptions in those four starts and was at least partially responsible for five.

Chicago likes him enough that it gave him a two-year extension last August, so clearly they feel like he’s developed. That also might mean the Bears won’t trade him, but they’re in a contending window, so perhaps an extra pick is more appealing.

Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts

Richardson makes this list because he’s likely to be available, not because we’re overly high on his development. The Colts are clearly done with him, and there’s a good chance he’s done with the Colts, too.

Richardson’s profile mirrors Levis’ in a lot of ways. Both have elite arm talent and great mobility. Richardson just takes both of those to extremes because there is a fair argument that he’s the most physically gifted QB in the sport.

However, Richardson is somehow more injury-prone and less accurate than Levis. Completion percentage is a flawed stat, but Richardson’s is just 50% across 17 appearances in three seasons. That’s just too low to ignore, and it’s backed up by his tape as well.

While Richardson is the archetype of QB the Dolphins should invest in, there’s a lot more development needed than just simply getting him to stay healthy.

Jalen Milroe, Seattle Seahawks

We considered a few veterans for this final spot, but if the point of this exercise is finding a franchise QB, then taking a shot on Milroe makes a lot more sense.

Milroe was Seattle’s third-string QB after they took 92nd overall in the 2025 NFL draft, so they might be willing to let him go for a pick that would help maintain a Super Bowl-winning roster.

Coming out of Alabama, he had every physical tool imaginable, but he lacked consistency and polish. His arm strength was top-notch, allowing him to push the ball downfield consistently. There’s also a pretty good argument that Milroe was the fastest QB in the draft since Lamar Jackson.

The problem is that Milroe’s accuracy, mechanics, and post-snap processing needed a lot of work. He missed too many easy throws in college and wasn’t great at beating defenses that challenged him with post-snap rotations.

The Dolphins could do a lot worse than trying to fix a player like Milroe this season.

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