How the Dolphins Can Find their Own Darnold

The Miami Dolphins are looking to find the right formula to get back into contention

Miami Dolphins quarterback Zach Wilson (0) looks to throw a pass against the New England Patriots during the fourth quarter at Gillette Stadium. | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

While the matchup is now set for Super Bowl LX, the Miami Dolphins are in the first days of a new regime they hope can get them there sooner rather than later.

And while fans of the team have every right to be skeptical given the wasted quarter-century they've just witnessed, there should be some comfort in watching the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks both reaching the Super Bowl shortly after hiring a new head coach, Seattle in Mike Macdonald's second season and New England in Mike Vrabel's first.

The Seahawks, in particular, should provide some optimism because they got there with a quarterback who was a reclamation project and not a prototypical franchise quarterback like Drake Maye.

So the question becomes, where can the Dolphins find themselves a Sam Darnold?

For those not familiar with his story, Darnold made Seattle his fourth different team in four years when he joined the Seahawks in 2025, seven years after he was the third overall pick in the NFL draft.

Between the New York Jets and Seattle, Darnold had stops with the Carolina Panthers, San Francisco 49ers and Minnesota Vikings, with whom he revived his career in 2024 before a playoff meltdown led to the Vikings letting him leave.

After another great regular season, Darnold now has delivered in the playoffs as well, in the process delivering on the promise he brought as the third overall pick in the 2018 draft.

Again, is there anyone out there who could become that guy for the Dolphins?

THE DOLPHINS AND THE DARNOLD POSSIBILITIES

Even more significantly, do the Dolphins already have that guy on their roster?

Yes, we're going to mention Zach Wilson, who like Darnold was a top three pick for the Jets (he went second overall in 2021) but never panned out in New York despite obvious impressive physical traits.

Before anyone suggest the idea of Wilson suddenly blossoming into a high-end starter, wouldn't it have been equally absurd to suggest the same thing for Darnold a couple of years ago?

This isn't to suggest or predict that Wilson will follow the Darnold path because it's probably more likely he'll be gone from the Dolphins this offseason as a free agent and he was bypassed for the No. 2 job last year by rookie seventh-round pick Quinn Ewers.

But he's at least worth mentioning.

How about other candidates like that around the NFL?

There are three who quickly come to mind, three highly talented young quarterbacks who haven't panned out so far, who possibly could be available at a pretty low price.

Those three are Anthony Richardson, Will Levis and Trey Lance.

Richardson was selected by the Indianapolis Colts fourth overall in the 2023 draft and missed a good chunk of the 2025 season with a freaky eye injury, though Indy already was going to go with another reclamation project, Daniel Jones, as its quarterback all along.

Richardson is under contract for one more season, but one would think it probably wouldn't take much in a trade to land his services.

Levis spent all of the 2025 season on IR, but he no longer figures into the Titans' plans after a very uneven performance the previous season and Tennessee taking Cam Ward first overall last year. A former second-round pick, Levis has the athletic tools to become a high-end NFL quarterback.

Lance, meanwhile, is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after spending last season with the L.A. Chargers.

Lance was very underwhelming in his brief appearances with the 49ers after they traded up with the Dolphins to take him third overall in 2021 — right after Wilson — but this is another QB with a big arm and very good mobility.

So will any of those quarterbacks turn things around and become a quality starter?

Maybe, maybe not.

Malik Willis, who has been linked to the Dolphins because of his history with new head coach Jeff Hafley, probably represents a better alternative for Miami if they go shopping for an outside veteran quarterback, but there should be a heavier demand for his services.

If the Dolphins do go after Willis and can't close the deal for whatever reason, maybe it would make sense to bring a reclamation project.

There are no guarantees with those signings whatsoever, but Sam Darnold has shown without doubt the possibilities.