Dolphins interested in Jimmy Garoppolo if other quarterback options fall through

With former number five overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft — quarterback Tua Tagovailoa — most likely leaving Miami in the very near future, the Dolphins are in the market for new passers this offseason. One option to bring into the fold is former Super Bowl quarterback, Jimmy Garoppolo — most recently of the Los Angeles Rams.

Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reported on Tuesday that if the Dolphins are unable to sign Green Bay Packers free agent gunslinger Malik Willis this offseason, they could pivot to Garoppolo and have him compete with last year’s 7th round draft pick, Quinn Ewers for Miami’s starting quarterback position. Of course, Willis would be a younger, and more exciting option, but with the Dolphins in a bit of a salary cap crunch, the 26 year-old could be priced out of Miami’s budget if contract numbers get too crazy too quickly.

Garoppolo — who will turn 35 years-old in the middle of the 2026 NFL season — was originally drafted by the New England Patriots in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft. After seeing extensive action to start the 2016 NFL season due to Tom Brady’s suspension for his role in Deflategate, Garoppolo’s stock hit an all-time high. As a result, the Patriots traded him to the San Francisco 49ers in the middle of the 2017 season.

As quarterback for the 49ers, Garoppolo saw his greatest amount of success in the National Football League — leading his team to the Super Bowl following the 2019 season before ultimately falling to the Kansas City Chiefs in the championship tilt. After one season with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2023, Garoppolo signed as a backup quarterback option for the Los Angeles Rams in 2024. A role he reprised in 2025.