The Miami Dolphins have found a new backup quarterback in Jacoby Brissett, who agreed to terms on a one-year deal Tuesday, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Ryan Fitzpatrick reached an agreement with the Washington Football Team on a one-year deal worth $10 million, a source told Schefter Monday, creating a vacancy next to Tua Tagovailoa in the quarterback room.
Enter Brissett, who spent two seasons — 2017 and 2019 — as the starter for the Indianapolis Colts. He received a one year-deal worth up to $7.5 million with incentives and $5 million guaranteed, a source confirmed to ESPN.
The Dolphins have said several times this offseason that Tagovailoa is their starting quarterback, but Brissett, 28, should be able to share his NFL experience and knowledge with Tagovailoa. Brissett is considered one of the league’s most talented and experienced backups.
Coach Brian Flores said he was looking for someone who was smart, tough, competitive, good at decision-making and could enter a game to win it if needed. Brissett seems to check all of those boxes, and he has a unique skill set as a potential short-yardage goal-line runner like he was used with the Colts last season.
Brissett also returns home to South Florida, where he grew up and played high school ball in West Palm Beach.
He was thrust into the starting role just two weeks after being acquired from the New England Patriots in 2017, replacing Scott Tolzien while Andrew Luck was recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. Brissett kept the job, as Luck missed the entire season. He finished the season passing for 3,098 yards, with 13 touchdowns and seven interceptions, but the Colts went 4-11 with him as the starter.
Following Luck’s sudden retirement, Brissett again was a surprise starter in 2019, and he was given every opportunity to become the team’s next franchise quarterback that season. He led the Colts to a 5-2 start, but a combination of a knee injury, poor play by Brissett and a 2-7 close to the season forced the franchise to move in a different direction at quarterback. He threw for 2,942 yards and a career-best 18 touchdowns with six interceptions.
The Colts signed free-agent Philip Rivers for the 2020 season, and Brissett returned to backup status.
Brissett has thrown for 6,459 yards with 31 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in his career. However, he has completed only 59.6% of his passes.
Later Tuesday, the Dolphins agreed to terms with former Los Angeles Rams running back Malcolm Brown, a source confirmed to ESPN. Brown, 27, had 419 yards and five touchdowns on 101 carries last season. The move was first reported by NFL Network.
ESPN’s Mike Wells contributed to this report.
