Dolphins Hint at QB Search as Clock Ticks on Tua Tagovailoa Decision

Tua Tagovailoa signed a four year $212.4 million extension with the Dolphins that will end after the 2027 season.

Dolphins Hint at QB Search as Clock Ticks on Tua Tagovailoa Decision

Tua Tagovaila and Dolphins GM Jon-Eric Sullivan inside the circle (Image via IMAGO/X)

In Short
  • The Miami Dolphins are exploring options for quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's future as they approach a decision.
  • General manager Jon-Eric Sullivan emphasized the need for competition in the quarterback room, regardless of Tua's status.
  • Trading or cutting Tagovailoa poses significant financial implications for the Dolphins, complicating their decision-making process.

It seems the Miami Dolphins’ new general manager, Jon-Eric Sullivan, and head coach, Jeff Hafley, don’t intend to keep quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in the loop for very long. That said, they’ll explore every possible option before making the final decision on Tua’s future in South Beach.

At a recent fan convention, Sullivan mentioned that he met with Tagovailoa shortly after the Dolphins brought him on board in January. The conversation turned out to be fruitful. Tua understood the new regime’s vision.

I don’t know what the future holds right now, and I told Tua [Tagovailoa] that. We’re working through some things. What I can tell you is that we’re going to infuse competition into that room, whether Tua is part of the room, whether he’s not part of the room.

Sullivan declared

It was clear that the 27-year-old’s time in Miami was nearing its end after Mike McDaniel benched him midway through last year in favor of a seventh-round rookie. Eventually, the Dolphins parted ways with McDaniel, and Ryan Clark blamed Tagovailoa for how things turned out.

Can the Dolphins move on from Tua Tagovailoa?

Technically, Sullivan holds all the cards. However, an experienced planner like him will need to think hard before parting ways with Tagovailoa.

Dolphins Hint at QB Search as Clock Ticks on Tua Tagovailoa Decision
Tua Tagovailoa (Image via IMAGO)

Sure, the former Alabama player’s game has steadily declined due to injuries and a rough patch of form, but he’s still an electrifying signal-caller when he’s in top shape. NFL Network‘s Ian Rapoport hinted that the Dolphins may look for other options to replace Tagovailoa. However, the Dolphins can’t just ignore Tua’s inflated contract. They cannot bypass it.

Trading Tagovailoa would force Miami to eat a chunk of his $54 million fully guaranteed salary. On top of that, the Dolphins will take a $45.2 million dead-money cap hit in 2026. Sullivan did not go into the nitty-gritty of the contract, but he’s certainly aware of the repercussions.

Cutting Tua isn’t a safe option either. It will not bring any compensation. But the Dolphins can spread the $99 million dead cap money across the three years. Sullivan should opt for this method after exhausting every other option.

The best course of action is to continue with Tagovailoa as he is still in his prime (somewhat). Super Bowl-winning wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson leaned into that hypothesis while conversing with Jordan Schultz on his show.

[Tua’s] done it at a high level at Alabama. I’ve seen the Miami Dolphins winning when he’s healthy, and I’ve seen the Miami Dolphins without him. That tells me if he got the right coach in the right situation that understands the player, you can work miracles with him.

Johnson declared on the Schultz Report

Quinn Ewers, who started multiple games late in the 2025 season, impressed many with his ability to spread the ball around to his receivers. In hindsight, he’s still raw and needs time to develop. Handing him the QB1 duty may not be the smart play for Hafley right now unless he beats out Tua in the offseason training camp.

One guy who is unlikely to stick around is Zach Wilson. The former first-rounder who joined the Dolphins last year on a one-year deal is set to hit free agency. Wilson was frustrated with the lack of chances, and according to reports, he wasn’t happy when McDaniel picked Ewers to start over him. Wilson will attract a few teams for sure.

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