Quinn Ewers’ final 2026 audition for the Dolphins just got significantly more difficult
Talk about playing on ‘All-Madden’…
Talk about a tough draw. The Miami Dolphins are giving rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers his first career start on the road today — a matchup against the new AFC East champion New England Patriots. That is, in and of itself, a step up from home games against the Cincinnati Bengals and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With nothing of significance on the line, Ewers’ play in that advanced spot is one of the things to look forward to.
But there’s more to this story. Ewers’ opportunity sounds like it has went from a step up in competition to being thrown completely into the deep end of the pool. Because ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting that Ewers will be playing without running back De’Von Achane. AND wide receiver Jaylen Waddle.
Dolphins reportedly set to play Patriots without De’Von Achane and Jaylen Waddle
The Dolphins placed tight end Darren Waller on injured reserve for the second time this season. Wide receiver Tyreek Hill is long gone, he went down midway through Week 4. And now, with a rookie quarterback at the helm, the Dolphins offense is going to take the field without the rest of their speed options in the passing game.
Greg Dulcich, Jaylen Wright, Malik Washington, and Theo Wease! You are up. In some ways Ewers may be more comfortable throwing to these receivers; as Ewers has only gotten three weeks worth of work with the first-team offense this season at practice. He very clearly did not have the timing down with Waddle, who had several targets downfield outside the numbers that Ewers left late and inside. That includes a deep out against Cleveland, another against Cincinnati, and yet another late in the game against the Bucs.
Achane would have helped to offset the passing game setback. But now that responsibility falls on Jaylen Wright, Miami’s second-year running back who starred in the team’s win against New York with more than 100 yards on the ground. His previous single-game high of his career was 86 yards. The team that came against? You guessed it — the New England Patriots in Week 5 of last season.
It’s hard to imagine this skill group putting together a winning effort against the Patriots, but that’s why we play the games. Let’s see what you got, kid.
2025 Miami Dolphins yards from scrimmage leaders entering Week 18
- RB De’Von Achane: 1,838 yards
- WR Jaylen Waddle: 938 yards
- WR Malik Washington: 399 yards
- TE Greg Dulcich: 297 yards
- RB Jaylen Wright: 292 yards
Miami Dolphins News
The best thing going for Dolphins quarterback Quinn Ewers is that he already gets ‘it’
The quarterback position is a unique beast. Ewers seems to have a grasp on the root of it all.
