Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel has an idea of how the team’s quarterback situation will develop over the next few days, but he’s not ready to name a starter against the Tennessee Titans quite yet.
“I have in my mind how I think it could play out; however, it’s a little premature for a multitude of reasons and the very last being the competitive advantage,” McDaniel told reporters Thursday afternoon.
With Tua Tagovailoa on injured reserve, the Dolphins turned to third-year backup Skylar Thompson to start in Week 3. After struggling to lead the Miami offense down the field, Thompson eventually exited in the third quarter with a rib injury.
McDaniel told reporters that the “pretty painful” injury could limit Thompson’s effectiveness Monday. The Dolphins also have former Baltimore Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley, who was signed last week, and Tim Boyle, who took over for Thompson late in the game in Week 3.
While the Dolphins may be inclined to wait as long as possible to announce their decision to keep the Titans guessing, it seems that Huntley is the favorite to take the reins in Week 4.
When asked about the 2022 Pro Bowler on Tuesday, McDaniel raved about the progress Huntley has made in a limited amount of time.
“I’m very, very encouraged,” McDaniel said. “I think we — Chris [Grier] and his staff in conjunction with the coaching staff — we targeted him for a reason. … He’s steadily working every day and I can see him gain the confidence of his teammates, as well.
“You can tell he’s cut from the right cloth and the game isn’t too big for him. So [I’m] very encouraged with his progression.”
Huntley, 26, has started nine games in his NFL career and has eight touchdowns with seven interceptions. He also started a playoff game against the Cincinnati Bengals in 2023 and threw two touchdowns and one interception, but the Ravens lost, 24-17.
