Tyler Huntley Gets Workout with NFC Team

Huntley started five games for the Miami Dolphins last season

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tyler Huntley (18) throws a pass, Sunday January 5, 2025, in East Rutherford. / Kevin R. Wexler-NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Miami Dolphins’ quarterback room remains incomplete, and re-signing Tyler Huntley may no longer be part of the picture.

Huntley, who started five games with the Dolphins last season, worked out for the Arizona Cardinals on Friday. Given the need for a game-day emergency quarterback behind Tua Tagovailoa and Zach Wilson, Huntley could’ve been a sound third-string option after completing nearly 65% of his passes last season. 

After spending four years with the Baltimore Ravens, Huntley had to adjust quickly in Miami after the Dolphins signed him off Baltimore’s practice squad September 16. He started 14 days later, completing 14 of 22 attempts for 96 yards and a rushing touchdown while being sacked twice in a 31-12 loss against the Tennessee Titans. 

Huntley helped the Dolphins defeat the New England Patriots the following week when he completed 18 of 31 attempts for 194 yards in a 15-10 victory. His five starts last season were the most of his five-year career, and the Dolphins were 2-3 in those games.

While Huntley’s running ability forced defenses to prepare for a different element, the 2022 Pro Bowl selection struggled to find his rhythm in Mike McDaniel’s quick-strike offense. Not only did Miami average only 15 points per game with him behind center, but he was sacked 15 times and fumbled the ball six times. 

Depth at QB: Where Miami Might Turn

Huntley did outperform Skylar Thompson and Tim Boyle, who completed 36 of 59 combined attempts for 340 yards and zero touchdowns. That said, Miami’s inability to develop quarterback depth played into the team’s failures last season. 

The Dolphins could do worse than re-signing Huntley, but with $16 million in cap space and 10 draft picks, they may be searching for a better scheme fit.

The list of available free agent quarterbacks is quickly thinning out, but one option could be a player they had on their practice squad for two weeks last season, C.J. Beathard.

The 32-year-old Beathard's time with the Dolphins was brief because the Jacksonville Jaguars poached him off the practice squad. He has started just 13 games over his six-year career — 12 came in the San Francisco 49ers while McDaniel was the run game coordinator. He’s since started one game for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2023, completing 40 of 53 attempts for 349 yards and a touchdown in a 26-0 win over the Carolina Panthers.

Despite a 3-10 record as a starter, Beathard’s familiarity with McDaniel’s scheme could be a deciding factor this late in the offseason.

Another long-shot emergency option is journeyman Carson Wentz, who’s bounced between the Colts, Commanders, Rams and Chiefs after five seasons with the Eagles. The second overall pick in the 2016 draft, Wentz is may be holding out for a clearer path to playing time after appearing in 13 games over the last three seasons, but that stance could change over the offseason. 

With seven draft picks in rounds 4 through 7, the Dolphins could be waiting to see how the board falls in hopes of landing a developmental quarterback who can learn behind Tagovailoa and Wilson. Syracuse’s Kyle McCord, Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel, Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard, and Texas’s Quinn Ewers are some names who could be available if Miami decides to invest in a mid-round quarterback.

Ultimately, the Dolphins hope 2025 marks just the second time Tagovailoa is available for all 17 games. On top of that, the Dolphins pursued Wilson early in free agency, signing him to a $6 million deal to serve as the fall-back option in case Tagovailoa can't go. 

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