Dolphins Receive: QB Taylor Heinicke

Falcons Receive: 2025 seventh-round pick

The Miami Dolphins finally got a healthy season out of Tua Tagovailoa, one that resulted in the quarterback leading the league in passing yards before earning a blockbuster extension this offseason. While the franchise is clearly committed to Tagovailoa now, the backup options behind the injury-prone starter aren’t exactly ideal and could be improved.

Skylar Thompson just won the No. 2 job after beating Mike White out in the preseason, but the third-year pro left a lot to be desired when he was last seen in meaningful action as a rookie. During the 2022 campaign, Thompson appeared in seven games and only completed 57.1 percent of his throws for 534 yards with a single touchdown against three interceptions.

While he’s developed a bit since then, the 27-year-old still didn’t look like a great backup option during his preseason appearances. That could lead the Dolphins to make a move for Taylor Heinicke, who is the odd man out in Atlanta following the team’s stunning decision to draft Michael Penix Jr. on Day 1 of the 2024 draft.

Heinicke struggled during his appearances for the Falcons last year, but he showed he could be a decent game manager during his stint with the Washington Commanders during the 2020-22 seasons. During that span, Heinicke went 12-11-1 as a starter and completed 64 percent of his throws for 5,415 yards and 33 touchdowns against 21 interceptions.

If the ‘Phins want to bring in a quarterback who could keep the team afloat during a Tagovailoa absence, they shouldn’t hesitate to demote Thompson to third-string duties and send over a late-round pick for Heinicke.