Quinn Ewers, not Zach Wilson, will start for Dolphins in Week 16

The Miami Dolphins will have a new starting quarterback for Week 16's matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals. And while Zach Wilson has been the second-string quarterback behind Tua Tagovailoa this season, the start will go to rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers. 

Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network reported that Ewers will start over both Tagovailoa and Wilson on Wednesday. Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, meanwhile, added that Ewers "has impressed in practice and behind the scenes."

Neither Wilson nor Ewers has played much for the Dolphins this season. Tagovailoa started each of Miami's first 14 games. Wilson has appeared in three games, while Ewers has appeared in one and the pair has combined for only 17 attempted passes, with Wilson throwing nine passes and Ewers throwing eight. 

While Wilson is the more experienced quarterback, it certainly makes sense that Miami would want to play Ewers in Tagovailoa's stead. Ewers, a rookie who was taken in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft, is under contract for three more seasons. Wilson, meanwhile, is set to become a free agent. If the Dolphins are looking to move on from Tagovailoa, as Pelissero suggested in his report and has been heavily speculated upon for much of the season, it makes sense that they'd want to give Ewers the first crack at a three-game rehearsal. 

In three years at the University of Texas, Ewers completed 64.9% of his passes for 9,128 yards, passing for 68 touchdowns and 24 interceptions. 

After Week 16's home game with the Bengals, the Dolphins will again be at home in Week 17's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They'll then finish on the road against the New England Patriots in Week 18.