Dolphins Expected to Release Tua Tagovailoa?

The Miami Dolphins would prefer to trade quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, although that would mean picking up a significant portion of his $54 million in fully guaranteed salary this year. ESPN's Dan Graziano expects the Dolphins to release Tagovailoa by the third day of the new league year, when $3 million of his 2027 salary would become fully guaranteed, based on conversations with other teams. Graziano goes on to explain that Miami will "almost certainly designate him as a post-June 1 cut" to help defray some of the $99.2 million in dead money it will cost to release him. If he's traded, the Minnesota Vikings might make the most sense as they look for an insurance policy for J.J. McCarthy. Tagovailoa, the fifth overall pick in 2020 out of Alabama, threw for 2,660 yards, 20 touchdowns, and a career-high 15 interceptions in 14 starts in 2025 before being benched for Quinn Ewers. At best, Tagovailoa, who might be one concussion away from retirement, will be competing for a starting gig elsewhere in 2026.

Source: ESPN.com - Dan Graziano