The Dolphins released quarterback Mike White on Sunday, concluding a months-long competition with Skylar Thompson for the backup role behind Tua Tagovailoa.
White, 29, had signed a two-year, $8 million contract with Miami in the previous offseason and served as the Dolphins’ backup quarterback throughout the 2023 season. During that time, he appeared in six games, completing 5 of 6 passes for 74 yards, with one touchdown and one interception.
This year, White split reps with Thompson, 27, during the Dolphins’ offseason program, as head coach Mike McDaniel evaluated the position through a series of challenging practice scenarios.
By releasing Mike White, who had one year remaining on his contract, the Dolphins save $3.5 million against the salary cap this season.
“The approach I’ve taken is to create super difficult situations for both of them… because what are we really trying to evaluate?” McDaniel explained. “We’re trying to determine who’s best equipped to handle a tough situation.
Being a backup quarterback inherently means you’re in a challenging situation, whether that’s in-game or starting a game. So, we felt it was most appropriate to test them that way.
In practice, I’ve gathered a ton of information… It’s really about handling difficult situations and saying, ‘Hey, you have to go do this. I’m going to call this play, likely against a tough coverage. Let’s see what you do.’
Dolphins’ Mike White (Photo: Wilfredo Lee)
“… I’m looking for nuances, resilience, the conviction after a bad play, how the offense responds at the line of scrimmage, how you’re leading them—there’s a lot to consider beyond what I’ve already observed.”
During the preseason, White completed 20 of 43 passes for 179 yards. Thompson, in comparison, completed 35 of 61 passes for 379 yards, with three touchdowns and two interceptions.
Releasing White provides the Dolphins with $3.5 million in cap savings this season.
Thompson, a seventh-round pick in 2022, was thrust into action as a rookie after injuries to Tagovailoa and primary backup Teddy Bridgewater.
He played in eight games and made three starts, including the Dolphins’ AFC wild-card round loss to the Buffalo Bills. Although he didn’t play in 2023, he served as the team’s emergency quarterback for all 18 games.
White, who started eight games over two seasons with the New York Jets before joining the Dolphins, has amassed 2,219 passing yards in his career, with nine touchdown passes and 13 interceptions, completing 62.6% of his pass attempts. He was originally a fifth-round draft pick by the Dallas Cowboys in 2018.
In addition to releasing White, the Dolphins also released tight end Jody Fortson Jr. and placed wide receiver Anthony Schwartz on injured reserve as they began trimming their roster to meet the 53-man limit by Tuesday’s deadline.
