With the new NFL league year set to begin on March 11, the Miami Dolphins are approaching a critical juncture regarding the future of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. The team is weighing whether to retain him as their starting quarterback or find a way to part ways, given the complexities of his current contract.
Team Leadership Addresses Quarterback Plans and Draft Strategy
During a recent fan event, Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley discussed Tagovailoa’s position and the organization’s approach to acquiring quarterbacks. Sullivan acknowledged that the team plans to evaluate quarterbacks in this year’s draft and in future drafts to bring competitive options to the roster.
Of course, we’ll be looking at other quarterbacks in this draft,
Sullivan said, responding to applause.
And every draft hereafter. But, look, I’ve had — Tua was in my office the other day, if I’m being perfectly frank. We had a great conversation. Tua has been a very good player in this league. He’s done a lot of really good things for the Miami Dolphins. You guys should be proud to have him and having had him.
Sullivan further emphasized that the organization is transparent with Tagovailoa about the uncertainty surrounding his future:
I don’t know what the future holds right now, and I told Tua that. We’re working through some things. What I can tell you is that we’re gonna infuse competition into that room, whether Tua is part of the room, whether he’s not part of the room. We’re gonna infuse competition into that room, like we will do in every other position. Tua knows where we are. We’ve been very honest and upfront, and Tua also knows that he will be the first to know when we make a decision. So if Tua is the first to know, you guys can’t be the first to know, and I know that you respect and appreciate that.
But we’re getting close to a decision. And when we do, we’ll let Tua know whether he’s gonna be part of this or not, and we’ll move forward. But you can rest assured that we will add competition to that room, one way or the other, to make it the best that we can.
Coach Hafley added shortly after Sullivan’s remarks,
Yeah, I don’t think I need to add anything.
Financial Constraints Complicate the Team’s Options
The Dolphins face a challenging financial reality with Tagovailoa’s contract, which guarantees him $54 million for the 2026 season. Releasing the quarterback outright would leave the team responsible for $99 million in cap charges spread over two seasons. This significant financial burden restricts the team’s flexibility.
Trading Tagovailoa remains a possibility, but the Dolphins would likely need to cover a large portion of his guaranteed salary to facilitate a deal. A solution similar to what the Houston Texans did with Brock Osweiler—offering draft picks to persuade another team to absorb part of the contract—could be considered to alleviate cap pressure.
Potential Paths Forward for the Dolphins
Alternatively, the Dolphins might opt to keep Tagovailoa under contract but choose not to feature him in the starting lineup. However, this option presents its own challenges as it would be somewhat awkward for the new leadership group to maintain a player on the roster yet limit his role after a series of events spanning six years.
The overarching issue is not simply about whether Tagovailoa will stay, but more about managing the logistical and financial complexity tied to his contract—an agreement former general manager Chris Grier arranged that now hampers the team’s options.
Sullivan says the Dolphins are close to making their decision regarding what to do with Tua Tagovailoa, and plan on looking at the QBs in the draft (as the will every year) https://t.co/XvxDPYQgIB
— Marcel Louis-Jacques (@Marcel_LJ) February 13, 2026
