The Miami Dolphins have been quite busy on Monday, as their new-look front office has made a plethora of roster moves. In an effort to clear up some salary cap space, the team released Bradley Chubb, Tyreek Hill, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, and James Daniels. Now, all eyes will turn to quarterback Tua Tagovailoa‘s future with the team.
After getting benched in favor of seventh-round rookie Quinn Ewers late in the 2025 campaign, it has always seemed likely that Tagovailoa would be on the move this offseason. With his favorite target, Hill, headed for the exit door now, Tagovailoa’s future with Miami has received a major update as the offseason begins to heat up.
Dolphins Still Eyeing Tua Tagovailoa Trade, But There’s a Catch
Miami selected Tagovailoa with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, and for a point in time, it seemed like he was going to be the team’s long-term starter under center. In 2023, Tagovailoa led the NFL with 4,624 passing yards, in addition to 29 touchdowns, which helped him earn the first Pro Bowl selection of his career.
Things have unraveled pretty quickly for Tagovailoa since then, though. A slew of concussions certainly haven’t helped him, but he looked borderline unplayable at times in 2025. That led to him getting benched late in the season, and with a new regime taking over, it seems like they want a fresh start at the quarterback position.
The problem is that moving on from Tagovailoa is not going to be easy, as he still has three years left on his four-year, $212.5 million contract. With Hill gone, it seems like only a matter of time until Tagovailoa is sent packing, too. According to reports, Miami still wants to trade Tagovailoa, but it understands that it will be difficult, which could eventually lead to him just getting released instead.
“The Dolphins preference has been to find a trade partner for Tua Tagovailoa,” NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported in a post on X. “A cut is possible in the end. But that has been their preference. My understanding is new regime doesn’t want it to drag too long.”
What Should the Dolphins Do with Tua Tagovailoa?
GettyMIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – OCTOBER 12: Tua Tagovailoa #1 of the Miami Dolphins looks to pass the ball during the third quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at Hard Rock Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
No matter which way you slice it, Miami is going to be on the hook for quite a bit of money over the next year when it comes to Tagovailoa’s deal. The front office is looking to trade him because it could actually save some money against the salary cap if it were to move on from him. If it were to release him, though, the Dolphins would take on around $100 million in dead money over the next two years.
Trading Tagovailoa is the lesser of the two evils for Miami, but his contract situation is going to make it very difficult for the team to find a willing trade partner for him. This isn’t exactly an enviable situation for the Dolphins’ new front office, and while a release seems inevitable, if it could somehow find a way to trade Tagovailoa, that would have to be considered a major win for the team.
Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa Plans Get Major Update After Tyreek Hill Release