The Miami Dolphins may be better off resisting the urge to force a quarterback pick early in the 2027 NFL draft.
That runs against the easy assumption that a team searching for its next franchise passer should grab one at the top of the board if the chance is there. But the case for patience is getting stronger, and the reason is simple: the quarterback matters most, yet he also needs the right setup to thrive.
A strong foundation matters. A team can draft a talented quarterback, but if the roster around him is shaky, the clock starts ticking immediately toward that second contract and the salary strain that comes with it. That’s why there’s real value in using a premium pick to strengthen the roster first, on either side of the ball, before handing the offense to a rookie.
There’s also the obvious problem that drafting a quarterback early does not guarantee anything. Picking one because it feels like the thing to do can be just as damaging as waiting too long.
The Dolphins’ own first-round history at the position shows that clearly. In 1983, they landed Dan Marino with the 27th overall pick.
That worked out, but it wasn’t a top-10 swing. In 2012, they took Ryan Tannehill eighth overall after his limited experience at Texas A&M - “if you hadn’t heard, he started out as a wide receiver” - and that looked a lot like forcing the issue.
Then came Tua Tagovailoa at No. 5 in 2020, and even with the offense’s positive results in 2022 and 2023, the team still never reached its ultimate goal.
So if the 2027 class doesn’t offer a clear-cut answer, Miami may be wiser to look elsewhere first.
That possibility is becoming more realistic. National reporting this week from ESPN.com and CBSSports.com pointed toward a quarterback group that may not feature an obvious no-brainer. Arch Manning is the biggest name in the mix, but even that comes with uncertainty, including the possibility that he returns to Texas for another year, with the note that his uncles Peyton and Eli both entered the draft as seniors.
Other names being discussed near the top include Drew Mestermaker, Darian Mensah, Dante Moore, Trinidad Chambliss and C.J. Carr.
If that’s the landscape when Miami is on the clock, there’s a real argument for letting Malik Willis handle another year and using the 2027 first-rounder on a blue-chip non-quarterback. Jeremiah Smith, Leonard Moore or Colin Simmons could fit that bill.
For the Dolphins, the priority in 2027 is not just getting a quarterback. It’s getting the pick right.
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The Bengals have been leaky enough in the right spots to invite stress, especially if Miami decides to test them laterally and then attack behind the first wave. That matters because Willis does not have to be turned loose on every snap to change how a defense plays, only threatened enough to force extra attention. If the back end of Cincinnatis defense is as thin as it appears, the Dolphins have a path to create downfield chances while keeping one eye on whether Willis is finally allowed to be a real part of the run game. [Read more 🡒]
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Dolphins Face A Huge Offensive Test In A Bengals Game That Changed Fast
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Cincinnati has lost its last two games, but the Bengals' passing game can change the feel of a night quickly if its top targets are on the field and functioning at close to full speed. With several players on both sides listed as out or questionable, the flow of the game may come down to who is available and who can play through the weeks uncertainty, leaving Miami to prepare for a matchup that could look very different by kickoff than it did on the injury report. [Read more 🡒]