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The Dolphins have been linked with quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo
The Miami Dolphins will be in search of a new quarterback once the final decision is made on Tua Tagovailoa. Reporting seems to suggest the Dolphins will try to trade their former starter, but if they are unable to find a partner, the expectation is they will release the former Pro Bowl quarterback and absorb the dead money.
With free agency less than a month away, candidates are beginning to emerge as to who the Dolphins might bring in to compete for the starting quarterback role. Miami’s general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan revealed that the plan was for the Dolphins to bring in competition in the quarterback room. He said, “What I can tell you is we’re going to infuse competition into that room, whether Tua is part of that room, whether he’s not part of the room. We’re going to infuse competition into that room like we will do at every position.”
The name that has most often been linked to the Dolphins has been free agent quarterback Malik Willis. Willis spent the past two seasons with the Green Bay Packers, where he worked with Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley. However, new reports indicate that Miami landing Willis might be complicated, which has led another name to be mentioned as a possibility for the Dolphins.
Miami Dolphins Linked with Jimmy Garoppolo
NFL Network insider Cameron Wolfe commented on the Dolphins quarterback situation and said, “[Willis]’s price tag could be $20 plus million a year. The Dolphins have a precarious cap situation. Can they afford that? Another name I’m told to keep an eye on is Jimmy Garoppolo, who has a lot of experience with their offensive coordinator, [Bobby] Slowik. Maybe he’s a less expensive option for them in free agency.”
If the Dolphins were to sign Garoppolo, he would likely be viewed as a bridge quarterback. He has starting experience in the NFL as the veteran has started 64 games in his career. Garoppolo started his career with the division rival Patriots, where he won two Super Bowls as Tom Brady’s backup. He then became the starting quarterback in San Francisco, where he led them to a Super Bowl appearance.
He was replaced by Brock Purdy in San Francisco after Garoppolo suffered a season-ending injury in a game against the Dolphins in 2022. Following the season, he then signed with the Las Vegas Raiders, where he was benched after eight weeks. Garoppolo has served as the Rams’ backup quarterback the past two seasons.
Potential Fit with Dolphins Offense
Garoppolo is a proven quarterback who can lead a team to wins when he has the right talent around him. He is familiar with the scheme the Dolphins plan on running, as offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik previously worked as the 49ers pass-game specialist when Garoppolo led San Francisco to an appearance in the NFC Championship.
Garoppolo last started a game in the 2024 season as he played in the regular season finale against the Seattle Seahawks. He went 27-of-41 with 334 passing yards, two touchdowns and an interception in the loss.
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
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