Dolphins News: New Reports Suggest Why Miami Can’t Part Ways With QB Tua Tagovailoa

Samnur Reza | 16/02/2026
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) walks out of the player tunnel before the game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium.

The Miami Dolphins are in quite a pickle. After two losing seasons, they fired head coach Mike McDaniel in January. Jon-Eric Sullivan was then brought in as general manager, who helped hire Jeff Hafley as the new head coach. Now, the new HC-GM duo is expected to leave no stone unturned as they make trading the club’s star QB Tua Tagovailoa one of their first priorities.

Tagovailoa has suffered multiple serious concussions in recent years and was even benched late in the 2025 season in favor of seventh-round rookie Quinn Ewers. A trade is far safer and considered the right approach for a new start in the Hafley-Sullivan era. However, Tagovailoa signed a massive contract with the Dolphins, and the team will be tied to it for a long while.

If he is released outright, it would result in a staggering $99.2 million dead money salary cap charge, which would be the largest in league history and cost $42.8 million more than keeping him. A post-June 1 release, meanwhile, would allow the team to spread the cap hit over two years, but they would still owe him $54 million guaranteed in 2026.

Realistically, Miami would have to absorb a significant portion of the contract in any potential trade and hope another team is willing to take on the remaining money.

Even then, reports suggest other teams may hesitate to roll the dice on a quarterback who has struggled to stay healthy and consistent in recent seasons. Because of the financial complications tied to his deal, there is skepticism around the league about whether a trade is even feasible.

So, what can Miami do? Well, the team can count its losses and release the QB in June. Or, another logical approach would be for the QB to be retained and compete for one more year. He would become a veteran presence for Ewers as well, and Tagovailoa could mentor the prospect as the future of the franchise.

The team is widely considered likely to draft a QB this year, who could also be mentored by Tagovailoa. Since the team is spending the money on the veteran QB anyway, why not take this approach?

That said, there could still be a way for the team to find a trade partner for Tagovailoa. And if they do, good for them. Some media outlets have floated the idea of a Texans-Dolphins QB swap, with Miami getting C.J. Stroud, while the Texans receive Tagovailoa and a slew of picks ranging from high to low rounds. Only time will tell if a trade like that ends up happening.

Post Edited By: Samnur Reza
Miami Dolphins Tua Tagovailoa

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Samnur Reza

Samnur Reza is an NFL editor for The SportsRush. He holds a degree in English Honors and joined The SportsRush editorial team in 2023. Having previously worked as a freelancer and several media outlets, Samnur has been religiously following the National Football League for the past six and a half years. Samnur first started following football after Tom Brady's cameo in Ted 2. It wasn’t long before he found himself grabbing a bucket of popcorn to enjoy football games. Samnur now diligently follows most NFL athletes, their family members, and the NCAA. He considers himself a diverse writer, having covered almost every corner of the football world. He does, however, have a special interest in athlete-centric stories. Whenever they engage in off-field ventures or charitable activities, Samnur enjoys reading and writing about them. Samnur had already authored over 1500 NFL-based articles before becoming an editor. His editorial journey began just a little over two years ago. Beyond football, Samnur is a true cinephile with an extensive repertoire of films. He’s also fond of cats and has a furry friend named ‘Eva.’ During his free time, Samnur enjoys playing video games, currently immersed in Elden Ring (New Game +6).

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