The Miami Dolphins desperately need major change.
Not only are the Dolphins 1-5 and set to miss the playoffs for a second consecutive year, but there is also total dysfunction in the locker room.
We know about the players-only meeting after Week 1, which was the first sign of big problems, but now you have the starting quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa, calling his own teammates out for showing up late to team meetings, which, in and of itself, is an indictment on head coach Mike McDaniel.
But Tagovailoa putting his team on blast (he has since apologized) is sure to have many in the locker room questioning his leadership for publicly exposing that problem instead of keeping it in-house.
The Dolphins need sweeping changes from top to bottom, and that includes hiring a new general manager, head coach and finding a new quarterback.
Pro Football Focus' Trevor Sikkema sees the Dolphins at least starting the clock on Tagovailoa's seemingly inevitable exit by drafting Oregon quarterback Dante Moore with the No. 4 pick in the 2026 NFL draft.
Moore is a full-time starter for the first time in his career after backing up Dillon Gabriel last season. He’s been consistently accurate this season with a 72.0% adjusted completion rate. He has also been a much faster decision-maker than he was at UCLA, averaging 2.71 seconds before he throws. He played strongly on the road at Penn State, but struggled against Indiana, specifically against pressure. He’s just a true junior, so he might not even be in the 2026 class, but that all depends on how well he plays down the stretch.
Moore started his collegiate career at UCLA, where he appeared in nine games and completed 53.5% of his passes for 1,610 yards and 11 touchdowns to nine picks.
After transferring to Oregon in 2024 and backing up Dillon Gabriel, Moore is now the starter for the Ducks and is putting together a strong season thus far, with a 72% completion rate and 1,396 yards and 15 touchdowns to just three picks.
As Sikkema notes, Moore isn't a lock to come out in 2026, but if he keeps playing at the level he has through six games, his stock could go high enough that Moore decides to leave Oregon.
According to The Draft Network, Moore has the prototypical size you want in a quarterback (6-foot-3, 202 pounds) and offers a quick release, impressive arm talent, and plus mobility.
There are concerns about his arm strength when it comes to pushing the ball down the field, though, and his decision-making and ability to accurately deliver the football when under pressure.
The part about the arm strength might turn the Dolphins and their fans off after seeing Tagovailoa struggle in that area during his career, but having the right offense and players in place can help negate that issue to a large extent.
When it comes to Tagovailoa, the Dolphins are pretty much stuck with the signal-caller for at least another campaign thanks to his massive contract, but there is an out the following year. Ideally, the Dolphins trade Tagovailoa, but it's going to be difficult to move that contract.
If he leaves a year early, there's a good chance Moore is going to need extra time to develop. With Tua under contract, the Dolphins can start the veteran in 2026 while giving their rookie quarterback more time to improve his game in the hope he can take the reins late in 2026 or in 2027.
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