CLEVELAND -- Miami Dolphins rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers has supplanted Zach Wilson as the team's backup to starter Tua Tagovailoa.
Ewers got the elevated role ahead of Sunday's Week 7 game against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field. Wilson was a healthy inactive, available as an emergency third quarterback.
Ewers was a seventh-round draft pick of the Dolphins out of Texas last April.
He was the third-string quarterback through the offseason, preseason and first six weeks of the regular season. In the preseason, he seemed to outperform Wilson on the field, but it also came against lesser opposing defensive units.
Wilson was the No. 2 pick of the 2021 draft by the New York Jets, but had a failed tenure there to start his career, in which the Jets signed Aaron Rodgers to take over for him. Wilson was the Denver Broncos' third-string quarterback in 2024 and never played.
The Dolphins were convicted in the offseason decision to sign Wilson in free agency as Tagovailoa's backup over a more experienced, proven veteran. Coach Mike McDaniel, after the signing, called Wilson a "direct, calculated target."
With Tagovailoa not yet suffering an injury that made him unavailable thus far this season, Wilson has only entered at the end of the 33-8 season-opening loss to the Indianapolis Colts. He was 5 of 8 for 32 yards.
The Browns are starting rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel and his backup, Shedeur Sanders, is also a rookie.
Aside from Wilson, another surprise healthy inactive Sunday was former Pro Bowl edge defender Matthew Judon.
Judon signed during training camp to be a fourth edge rusher in a rotation with Jaelan Phillips, Bradley Chubb and Chop Robinson.
Judon had six tackles in his first six games with Miami. The Dolphins, on Saturday, elevated outside linebacker Quinton Bell from the practice squad to the game-day roster for Sunday. Bell is more of a known special teams commodity than Judon.
Cornerback Storm Duck, who entered questionable with an ankle injury is out for the Dolphins. Defensive back Elijah Campbell was ruled out Friday with his quadriceps injury.
Other healthy inactives for Miami were wide receivers Cedrick Wilson Jr. and Tahj Washington and defensive tackle Zeek Biggers.