Getty
Jeff Hafley spoke about the team’s quarterback plans
After hiring Jeff Hafley as their new head coach, the biggest remaining uncertainty for the Miami Dolphins is the quarterback position. Tua Tagovailoa had been the unquestioned starter since the 2021 season, but his disappointing performance in the 2025 season resulted in him being benched.
Regarding Tagovailoa, new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan said, “I have a lot of respect for Tua … Whether it’s Tua or anyone else, it’s unfair for me to sit up here and talk about anything until I’ve been able to talk to the player himself. To sit up here today and tell you I have a great understanding of what we’re going to do — that would be a lie.”
In a new interview, head coach Jeff Hafley spoke about the future of the Dolphins’ quarterback and what the team is planning to do at the position.
Miami Dolphins Quarterback Plans
After his introductory press conference with the team, Jeff Hafley appeared on multiple NFL shows, including The Schrager Hour with Peter Schrager. While on that show, Hafley was asked about the future of the quarterback position with the Dolphins. He said, “Let’s be honest, there will be conversation, and there has to be a plan because this league runs through that position, So, can I sit here right now and tell you what the plan is? No. Have we had conversations? Yeah. I’d be totally giving you a bunch of BS and lying to you if I told you that I had no plan. Can I sit here and tell you what that plan is? No, I can’t tell you. And you already know the answer to that.”
Knowing the Dolphins have a plan at the position should provide some reassurance for Dolphins fans. It makes sense that he would not reveal what the plan is to the public, as the team may be planning to make a move in free agency.
It seems unlikely the Dolphins will use one of their top draft picks on a quarterback, as they possess the No. 11 pick in the NFL Draft. The quarterback class is viewed as mediocre, with only two quarterbacks projected to go in the first round. Fernando Mendoza is most likely going to go to the Raiders with the first overall pick, while Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson could be an option for the Dolphins in the first round. Perhaps the Dolphins will not want to draft another undersized Alabama quarterback after the experience with Tua Tagovailoa.
Dolphins Free Agency Plan
Until free agency begins in March, rumors will likely surface about the Dolphins bringing in a quarterback. Before Sullivan’s arrival after the season, NFL Network insider Cameron Wolfe reported that the Dolphins planned to bring in another quarterback to compete for the starting job in the 2026 season. Whether that is still the plan remains to be seen.
A popular free agent the Dolphins have been linked to is Malik Willis. Willis worked with both Sullivan and Hafley in Green Bay, and impressed in his limited playing time with the Packers. Perhaps going after him in free agency is the plan Hafley alluded to. In order to land Willis, the Dolphins will have to make moves to clear up space in the salary cap, as OverTheCap currently projects them as the fourth-least cap space in the NFL.
Jose Esquer Jose Esquer is a Mexican-American sportswriter and communications student based in San Diego, CA. His work spans football, basketball, baseball, and soccer. He has written for platforms like RotoWire and DolphinsTalk. You can find him on Twitter/X @JEsquer8, usually talking Dolphins, world football, or both. More about Jose Esquer
More Heavy on Dolphins
Loading more stories