The Miami Dolphins will be without quarterback Tua Tagovailoa for at least the next four games after he was placed on IR. Tagovailoa suffered another concussion, which was the third known one in his NFL career.
There have been concerns regarding his future in the NFL. If the Dolphins are worried about if and when he’ll return, they could look to trade for a proven quarterback to replace him.
Dan Graziano of ESPN suggested they do just that. He named Russell Wilson of the Pittsburgh Steelers as an option for the Dolphins.
“OK, here’s one with potential instant impact. Wilson (calf) is too hurt to play right now, and by the time he’s healthy, there’s a non-zero chance Justin Fields will have secured the starting job in Pittsburgh full time,” Graziano wrote on September 20. “If that happens, would the Steelers move Wilson to a desperate team with an injured QB looking to save its season? Wilson has a no-trade clause, which means he’d get to pick his spot (or be released) in this hypothetical scenario. And it has been several years since he has shown anything that would make a team want to trade for him. But if someone became desperate, a move could be in play…
“Miami Dolphins. Again, if they stay in contention and find out Tagovailoa isn’t coming back this season, the Dolphins will be looking for signal-caller options. The Raiders or any contender that suffers an unforeseen injury to its starter in October probably would poke around on Wilson, too.”
Rex Ryan Also Suggested Dolphins to Trade for Wilson
Former NFL head coach Rex Ryan also believes the Miami Dolphins should show interest in Wilson. Ryan’s reasoning was simple, highlighting the injury to Tagovailoa.
“If you’re a team that loses a quarterback and you call the Pittsburgh Steelers, is someone going to consider trying to trade for Russell Wilson? If you’re a team right now and your quarterback got hurt, would you be calling them about Russell Wilson?” Mike Greenberg asked, to which Ryan replied, “I think he’d be the number one guy you would call.”
Would Wilson Help the Dolphins?
The 35-year-old Wilson was once viewed as one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL. He’s a nine-time Pro Bowl selection and won Super Bowl XLVIII.
However, over the past two seasons, he hasn’t played at the same level he once did. Wilson impressed in 2020, throwing for 4,212 yards, 40 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions.
Fast forward to 2022, and Wilson threw for 3,524 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.
If the Miami Dolphins could help him regain the talent he once had, they’d be getting a quarterback who could help them win. If they get the same player seen with the Denver Broncos, they’d still worry about the quarterback position.
Still, Wilson is a proven veteran who, at the very least, could be a game manager. If the Dolphins aren’t confident in Skylar Thompson and believe they can win this year, trading for someone like the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback would make sense.
He could also welcome a move to the Dolphins, as it’d give him a chance to start when he gets healthy.
