What to Know About New Dolphins QB Kyle McCord

The Miami Dolphins' move to acquire quarterback Kyle McCord from the Green Bay Packers followed another QB trade one day earlier that saw Miami send Quinn Ewers to Jacksonville for the same 2028 sixth-round pick that's going to Green Bay for McCord.

The Dolphins also released Cam Miller and Mark Gronowski on Sunday, leaving Malik Willis and McCord as the two main pieces at the position.

A Pure Passer That Has Confidence

McCord was drafted by Philadelphia in the sixth round of the 2025 draft out of Syracuse, though he was ultimately waived and re-signed to the Eagles' practice squad. He then signed with Green Bay back in January and had a standout preseason for the Packers.

In three preseason games, McCord completed 46 of 70 passes, for 446 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions, and a 102.4 passer rating. All four of his passing touchdowns occurred in Green Bay's 42-38 win over Arizona on Thursday.

Packers head coach Matt LaFleur praised what McCord was able to do in the preseason, citing his maturity and experience despite limited playing time so far in his NFL career.

“He did a heck of a job,” LaFleur said. “He was just so poised in his ability to operate and function. He definitely has the demeanor, no doubt about it. He’s in total control out there, and he’s willing to stand in the pocket, deliver in the face of pressure. Yeah, I thought he did an outstanding job.”

McCord's Draft Profile and Dolphins Connections

McCord was the seventh of 13 quarterbacks drafted in 2025, 34 spots ahead of one-time Dolphins QB Cam Miller and one round before Ewers.

His NFL.com draft profile pegged him as a "good backup with the potential to develop into a starter" and had a pro comparison of Mitchell Trubisky.

This was NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein's report on McCord prior to the 2025 draft: "Pocket passer with good size who played in a high-volume, pro-passing scheme that should give him a head start as a pro. McCord was too inconsistent at Ohio State, relative to the talent around him, but he proved to be confident and productive last season at Syracuse without that same level of supporting talent. His fundamentals are usually solid and he plays with adequate poise in the face of pressure. He has enough arm to make window throws and push the ball around the field. McCord seeks to attack coverages vertically instead of operating as a “Checkdown Charlie.” While he can hit chunk throws, his decision-making and ball placement aren’t always good fits for his gunslinger mentality. His mobility inside and outside the pocket is average. McCord has good size, adequate talent and commendable resilience. He could find a home as a backup quarterback with modest upside."

His pocket presence at Green Bay checks out with his Draft Profile, pinning him as a pure pocket passer who doesn't flinch when it starts to collapse. He's able to read coverage exceptionally well and has the arm strength needed to air the ball out - something he excelled at against Arizona.

Rumors suggested Green Bay likely wouldn't keep McCord on its 53-man roster, and Miami also seemed like a logical destination considering the number of former Packers who are now members of the Dolphins, including General Manager Jon-Eric Sullivan, who was the vice president of player personnel from 2022 to 2025 — the right-hand man of Green Bay's general manager, Brian Gutekunst.

There is an indirect connection between McCord and Jeff Hafley, who was the co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach at Ohio State in 2019. McCord began his college career with the Buckeyes in 2021 and spent three seasons in Columbus before transferring to Syracuse in 2024.

Yes, they never intersected, but Hafley could have received solid intel about McCord at some point after his time at Ohio State that he may have put to use now.

There's also a connection with new senior passing game coordinator Kevin Patullo, who was the offensive coordinator for the Eagles last year.

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