Zach Wilson Falls to QB3 in Miami as Rookie Quinn Ewers Gets the Start-Jets Fans Watching Closely
Zach Wilson’s NFL journey has taken another sharp turn-and not in the direction his supporters were hoping for. After a quiet stint with the Denver Broncos in 2024, where he didn’t see the field, Wilson signed on with the Miami Dolphins this season, presumably as the backup to Tua Tagovailoa. But as we head into Week 16, Wilson isn’t even QB2.
Instead, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel is turning to rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers to start against the Cincinnati Bengals. That’s right-Wilson has been leapfrogged on the depth chart by a seventh-round pick who entered the draft with first-round buzz but slid after an up-and-down final season at Texas.
For Jets fans, who’ve lived through every snap of Wilson’s turbulent tenure in New York, this development is more confirmation than surprise. The former No. 2 overall pick now finds himself behind not just a struggling Tagovailoa, who currently leads the league in interceptions, but also a rookie still finding his NFL footing.
Why Wilson’s Slide Makes Sense in Miami’s Offense
Let’s be clear: Wilson’s physical tools were never the issue. The arm strength is there.
The mobility is real. But in the NFL, those traits are only part of the equation-especially in a system like McDaniel’s, which leans heavily on timing, rhythm, and precision.
That’s where Wilson continues to fall short.
His struggles with timing in the pocket have been well-documented, and that’s a red flag in an offense like Miami’s that thrives on quick reads and surgical execution. If you're a quarterback in McDaniel’s system, you need to anticipate windows, not wait for them to open. And based on how things have played out in practice, it seems Wilson hasn’t shown enough growth in that area.
Then there’s the accuracy issue. Wilson’s mechanics have always been a bit of a rollercoaster-one week they’re dialed in, the next they’re completely off. That inconsistency has dogged him since his days in New York, and it appears to have followed him to Miami.
Ewers, for all his own question marks, has at least shown signs of being able to deliver the ball on time and with more consistent accuracy. He’s not flawless, but in McDaniel’s eyes, he’s a better fit for the offense right now.
What This Means for Wilson’s Future
This isn’t just about one depth chart decision-it’s a telling moment in Wilson’s career. When a rookie seventh-rounder is getting the nod over a former No. 2 overall pick, it signals more than just a bad week of practice. It’s a reflection of where Wilson stands in the eyes of coaching staffs around the league.
And it raises a tough question: Where does he go from here?
Wilson is now on his third team in three years, and he’s trending toward a role that no quarterback wants-permanent QB3. It’s a steep fall from the expectations that followed him out of BYU, but the NFL doesn’t run on potential.
It runs on production. And so far, Wilson hasn’t shown enough of it.
For Jets fans, this chapter might finally bring some closure. The hope that a change of scenery would unlock Wilson’s potential has been a lingering narrative, but with each passing season, that idea gets harder to defend. If Ewers plays well down the stretch and Wilson remains on the sideline, it could be the final signal that Wilson’s days as a viable NFL starter-or even a backup-are slipping away.
It’s a harsh reality for a player once billed as a franchise savior. But in this league, the tape doesn’t lie. And right now, the tape says Zach Wilson still has a long way to go.