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The Dolphins locked up Tua Tagovailoa through 2024 by exercising the quarterback's fifth-year option this offseason. Now they've added a new backup for the young signal-caller. On the same day veteran No. 2 Teddy Bridgewater entered the NFL's legal tampering period without a new contract, Miami and former Jets QB Mike White agreed to a two-year deal, as ESPN first reported.

White's contract is worth up to $16 million, according to Adam Schefter, meaning he could ultimately become one of the highest-paid backups in the NFL. His base earnings figure to be significantly less, but an $8M per-year average would put him behind only the Jets' Zach Wilson among active projected No. 2 QBs. It just so happens, of course, that White made a name for himself replacing Wilson in New York, where he went 1-3 as a fill-in starter during the 2022 season.

White, who turns 28 later this month, grew up less than an hour from Miami. The Pembroke Pines native attended University of South Florida before transferring to Western Kentucky, where he became a fifth-round pick of the Cowboys in 2018. White spent his rookie season with Dallas before a four-year run on and off the Jets' practice squad. He started three games in 2021 while replacing an injured Wilson, then another four games in 2022 after Wilson was benched. While his combined numbers aren't gaudy (8 TDs, 12 INTs), he flashed poise in his first start for Wilson last year, throwing for three scores in a 31-10 victory over the Bears.

The ex-Jets reserve is set to open 2023 behind Tagovailoa and ahead of 2022 rookie Skylar Thompson on Miami's QB depth chart. He recently expressed a desire to stay in the AFC East as a pending free agent.

Mike White
MIA • QB • #14
CMP%58.9
YDs1192
TD3
INT4
YD/Att6.81
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"Selfishly, from a personal standpoint, obviously growing up down there [near Miami], I'd love to go home," White told 560 WQAM in Miami. "But from a football standpoint, it's a very talented offense, really good, young group of guys. You can tell they're starting to build something special down there. I would love to be a part of it."