The bottom of these quarterback rankings is getting ugly fast, and Atlanta is right in the middle of it. Cooper Rush sits dead last after a rough Week 2 that saw him throw two interceptions against the Carolina Panthers before getting benched for preseason standout Jack Strand. The move didn’t exactly spark things, either - Strand’s first pass after taking over went the other way for a pick-six.
At this point, the Falcons are in full emergency mode at quarterback. The source material even says the situation has reached a “break glass in case of emergency” level, and it’s hard to argue with that after the way this one has gone.
With Tua Tagovailoa or Michael Penix Jr. expected back at some point, Atlanta badly needs one of them available soon. Rush’s time on the roster may not last much longer, and another appearance in these rankings would be a surprise.
Just above him, Malik Willis is giving Miami at least a few flashes to work with. He uncorked a 77-yard touchdown pass against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 2, though it came with the Dolphins already buried under a 35-6 deficit late in the fourth quarter. Still, it was his first touchdown throw with Miami, and there were some encouraging signs even with the team clearly in rebuilding mode.
The bigger issue for Miami in Week 2 was how little Willis was used as a runner. He finished with only two carries for six yards, and that’s the part that stands out.
Defenses will do everything they can to limit what he can do on the ground, so the Dolphins need to build more plays around his legs. If they do, there’s a path for Willis to climb from the bottom of this list.
For now, though, he’s still near the basement as Week 2 closes.
In Other News...
Jordyn Brooks Sent Dolphins Fans A Message Before This Brutal Stretch
After the loss to the 49ers, Jordyn Brooks didnt sound interested in letting one rough afternoon define the Dolphins start. Speaking to the media, the veteran linebacker pointed to the talent in the room and stressed that Miami has the right pieces to get this turned around, even if the results have not matched the expectation early on. He also owned the mistakes the team made, especially in the second half, while noting that the defense is still working through the kind of growth every unit has to navigate.
Brooks message comes at a timely moment, because the schedule is about to get a lot less forgiving. The Dolphins are headed into a difficult stretch with the Chiefs and Vikings next, the sort of run that can either steady a season or make an early skid feel even heavier. For Miami, the urgency is obvious, but Brooks tone suggested there is still confidence inside the locker room that the response is coming. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Fans Have Every Right To Worry After This 0-2 Start
The Dolphins are already staring at an uneasy early-season picture after San Francisco rolled into Miami and left with a 35-13 win that exposed how much work remains on both sides of the ball. Brock Purdy was efficient and precise, Christian McCaffrey kept the pressure on with a pair of scoring runs, and the 49ers needed very little time to put the game in their control by reaching the end zone on each of their first five drives.
For Miami, the bigger concern is what this kind of loss says about the gap between where the team is and where it wants to be after an 0-2 start. The offense never found a rhythm against a defense that dictated the terms early, and the defense spent the afternoon chasing a game that was already slipping away, leaving the Dolphins with plenty of questions and not many easy answers heading into the next stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Just Added An Edge Rusher With Bigger Roster Implications
The Dolphins continued to tinker with the back end of their roster by adding edge defender Andre Jones Jr. off the Buffalo Bills practice squad, a move that brings in a veteran who already has some familiarity with Miami special teams coordinator Chris Tabor from their time together in Buffalo. Jones has appeared in 19 games over three seasons, giving Miami another experienced option as it tries to keep the pass-rush depth chart steady.
The signing also comes with the usual roster squeeze that follows this kind of transaction. Miami will need to make a corresponding move to fit Jones onto the active roster, and once hes in, the team must keep him there for at least three weeks, which gives this addition a little more staying power than a simple practice-squad shuffle. [Read more 🡒]